I'd Rather Be...Pursuing an Off Grid Life

Construction Zone

2011-11-29T13:01:00.000-08:00

I thought at six months into this project, we'd be much farther along. David has been working a lot and we've both been doing some volunteer work, so we are not as far into the restoration as we thought we'd be. We are in the phase where the visual reward isn't a reward at all, like electrical updates, insulation, knocking down unnecessary walls, etc. I can see the end result in my mind's eye, though, and this keeps me going. I've come to the conclusion that demolition is awful, even when you have a separate (clean) place to retreat to at the end of a demo day. I don't understand why folks on the home improvement shows get so excited about demolition. This little cottage was destined to become a chicken coop and had been condemned. Will post more photos soon.

Before...

Certainly not after, but a work in progress...

Hair and Other Stuff

2011-11-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

There's been lots of work happening at the In-Town House. At least, I think there has, because I have the calloused hands to prove it to be so. However, studs are still exposed, roof still has gaps, the front door is still a made-shift re-tool of the original and it doesn't quite fit. But I'm about to come back with some updated photos.

We've only made one trip to The Home Place since we bought the In-Town House. We built a new porch out at The Home Place, and I.forgot.the.camera.so I didn't get pictures! Dread! Anyway, will take a shot next trip.

I will offer this... I had a mini-makeover. Life's too short to spend it blow-drying long hair.

No Internet!

2011-06-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

I've had limited internet access for the past couple of weeks. I miss reading my favorite blogs, researching how to do things - like creating old-style adobe blocks - and checking my email. Back soon. In the meantime...

It Works!

2011-05-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, this thing works, even after sitting for more than a decade.

This or That?

2011-05-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

Considering a tub for the rare use. I realize that a bathtub is not sustainable and is a water waster, but on the rare occasion, a gal needs a soak. Maybe that's what hotel rooms are for...

This, the budget buster at $1,200 for the tub only, no hardware or fixtures... (Really?)

This, a bigger-than-it-looks "farm and ranch supply store" stock tank with a built-in drain and seriously budget-friendly $150 in several color choices, and could be flush mounted inside a nice tub deck...

Or this, the old standby for $129, suitable for exterior custom painting...

Or the dream tub on a lottery-winner's budget?

Check out this website for some good ideas... http://store.thesolarbiz.com/.

Floor Work

2011-05-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

David worked on another plumbing leak while I worked on the floor. We still don't have electricity, but hopefully, AEP will get the new meter set soon. This renovation is on a tight budget, so I'm trying to salvage the existing brick paver floor that will be in the future living area.

This place has been vacant for a decade, except for a two-day event when the owner hosted an art exhibit here in 2008. During that event, the electricity was on. Other than that, no utilities have been on for over a decade. The ceiling in the future living area leaked badly:

The water damage from the leak did this to the floor, and this damage covers several sections of the living area:

As you can see, this floor is brick pavers laid straight over tamped earth and sand. I believe this floor is about 15 to 20 years old. Where the rain hit the floor, the sand underneath eroded and caused a deep crack, and the pavers caved in. I pulled up a small section of pavers at a time, filled in with a sand/portland cement mixture...

...then I replaced/releveled each paver.

I forced more sand/portland cement (dry) in between the pavers. Here is Roxie standing on a section that I already repaired.

Later, I'll clean each paver to ensure there isn't any sand residue, and wet the sand mixture so it will harden. After I do the entire floor (and we finish the roof repair), I'll clean each paver carefully and seal them.

Inside the In-Town House

2011-05-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

Well, here's the interior of the in-town house. The water department turned on the water yesterday while we were there, and since there hasn't been water running there in ten years, we anticipated leaks. As expected, there were a few. David already fixed one in the future kitchen area.

There is one big room here with a half bath and storage room on one end. The end in this photo is the future bedroom and full bath (which is a half bath now). The next photo is the future closet, which is thru the door on the right. Those are Mexican brick pavers on the floor. The plan is to repair the water-damaged areas and all the old grout lines with polymeric sand. The ceiling shows where water poured in last year.

Future closet... it needs some work as it has complete separated from the main structure.

Half bath... which will be a full bath after knocking down a wall on the right side:

Other end of the big room... the future living room.

Painted rock walls in the future dining room... I hope to remove the paint, but it may be impossible.

The archway into the future dining room. That's a closeup of the tile floor. It's Mexican cement tile and we plan to salvage it. There are 31 more tiles on the floor in the future breakfast area and David has already removed some so we can use them to replace the broken ones in the future dining room.

A closeup of the tiles in the breakfast area that we'll move to the dining room.

Future breakfast room (this area is bigger than it looks - I took the photo from the middle of the room). The old drive-thru is the future laundry room.

The opposite side of the breakfast room... the future kitchen. That's an old display case and behind it, not visible in the photo, is the old long prep table from the restaurant.

Suspended ceiling in the future kitchen. It's coming down soon. Some of this area has water damage, too.

Check out this top-notch wiring:

Photos of the In-Town House

2011-05-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

The In-Town House.

I'm excited to get going on the serious amount of work to get this place in shape. The one bedroom cottage is on the left. The restaurant is on the right. We will park the motorhome in between the two buildings. We plan to convert the restaurant to a living space first. The cottage will come later (except for repairing the cottage's roof before the rainy season).

Cottage, restaurant, and slab:

David and the cottage:

Front of the cottage:

Left side of the cottage:

The restaurant - the original rock structure was a bakery:

The dead evaporative cooler, and that car is dead, too:

Riding through the Country / More Wildfires

2011-05-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

David and I rode through Fort Davis on April 5, before the wildfires. It was a lovely mild-weather day and a beautiful ride. We made it home just before sunset and the arrival of a cool front. We haven't been through this area past Fort Davis since the fires to see how this pretty rest area fared.

Another wildfire (the date on the photo is wrong). Three are burning in this region of Texas, actually, and one of them is currently a couple of miles west of Alpine. Officials are calling it the Holland Gage Fire because of its location of origin. David is, as I type this, passing out food and drinks to evacuees. One of the fires burns near Marathon and the other is near Sanderson.

Fence. Need Fence Advice.

2011-05-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

We are planning to build a fence at the new place. I had an idea for an earthbag/sheet metal fence, and an earthbag/conduit fence. I want to consider earthbag pillars with corrugated sheet metal in between the pillars where privacy is needed. I want to consider earthbag pillars with conduit in areas where there needs to be transparency. Ideas for securing the metal and conduit to the bag pillars would be helpful. Check out the rudimentary drawings below, and then tell me, do you have any advice for securing the metals to the earthbag pillars? Thanks.

Over Consumption Defined by Tom Shadyac

2011-04-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

"Nature is very clear on this. In fact, there's one fundamental law that all of nature obeys that mankind breaks everyday. Now this is a law that's evolved over billions of years and the law is this: nothing in nature takes more than it needs. A redwood tree doesn't take all of the soil's nutrients, just what it needs to grow. A lion doesn't kill every gazelle, just one. We have a term for something in the body when it takes more than its share. We call it cancer." - Tom Shadyac in "I Am"

Wildfire Update and More

2011-04-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

Several people have emailed me directly for a wildfire update. I apologize for the delay! Homework has been at the top of my list.

Last I heard, which was yesterday, the fire that consumed so much in and around Fort Davis, Texas (named The Rock House Fire), and so far beyond, is 65% contained. I heard that the response for donations of food, household goods, and related items has been great. (As you can imagine, it will take a posse of volunteers to sort through the stuff.) Monetary donations are being encouraged, and are being accepted by Fort Davis State Bank. I also heard that a few people affected by the fire were completely uninsured, which is tragic. My preference is to give money directly to the person who needs it rather than the big charity, such as The Red Cross. I don't know...

Also, the fire that started at about the same time in Alpine (named The Roper Fire) is out, I believe. My favorite thing about this rugged and remote area is exactly what makes it that way. However, when trying to get relevant news and/or weather, ruggedness and remoteness are not friends. Marfa Public Radio did an amazing job of keeping us informed around the clock, but without power in Marfa (or where their tower is located), their broadcast was only available online. Power is back on almost everywhere. Most folks have landline phones reestablished, too, but not everybody.

There is some security in having a house on wheels that can be driven away on a moment's notice. Also, if that ever becomes necessary, my dogs can be by my side. Perhaps a few human friends could ride along, too. We were threatened by wildfire a few months ago, but nothing like what the rest of the area has experienced over the last week and a half.

If you are so inclined to make a monetary donation to the cause, perhaps consider any of the volunteer fire departments in the area, the fund at Fort Davis State Bank, or Marfa Public Radio, whose hardworking staff of three is in the middle of their membership drive. Or, maybe make a donation to your local volunteer fire department if you have one.

Talk about irony. The deal we are making on the restaurant/cottage is with the station manager at Marfa Public Radio and his wife. All of this started way before the fires. We signed the Earnest Money Contract last Thursday and expect to close on it mid-May.

I've Never Seen Anything Like It

2011-04-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last night at 8:50 pm, David called another Food Bank employee, Lu Lu, to figure out a plan to get supplies out to folks. (David is the manager of the Food Bank's Alpine location.) Lu Lu said that the Forest Service's coordinator happened to be on air at Marfa Public Radio (live broadcast and updates at www.marfapublicradio.org) at the time, and told David to call the station. He did. They instructed David to deliver supplies to the Fort Davis Fire Department via Marfa since the road between Alpine and Fort Davis was closed due to the wildfire and downed power lines. We were hopeful that the firefighters and other workers could use the supplies. David immediately called Porter's on 5th Street/Sul Ross in Alpine, and they generously donated 15 cases of bottled water and 19 bags of ice. By then (9 pm), the store was closed, but the nighttime manager and an employee agreed to wait for us. We left our RV and as we drove over Big Hill, we saw the scope of the fire. I told David that the view of the fire made me want to cry, but I didn’t. We got to Porters at about 9:25 pm.

We then went to the Food Bank. David loaded the big truck with supplies (pallets of MREs, pallets of snacks and crackers, and the donations from Porters). We finally left Alpine at about 10:40 pm, heading to Fort Davis via Marfa. We stopped at Marfa Public Radio at about 11:30 pm, where we were welcomed with open arms and offers of coffee and snacks. Marfa Public Radio was already broadcasting via web only since their tower was affected by the widespread power outage.

We left Marfa Public Radio and headed toward Fort Davis on closed Highway 17. We reached the Border Patrol's temporary barrier just outside Marfa. The Forest Service coordinator had promised we could pass the barrier, and true, Border Patrol allowed us to go through with strict instructions to drive slow to avoid livestock on the road, and to turn back if necessary. (We never saw a live animal during our trip.)

Scanning the pitch black openness, looking around the horizon, revealed an apocalyptic ring of fire. The fire ran up the mountains and across every visible area. Everywhere. Wood fenceposts along the roadway burned like matchsticks. We passed firefighters and stopped to offer supplies. We passed AEP's workers setting new utility poles with fire burning all around. We passed one of the Village Farms locations, which appeared to be intact. Along the way, we saw charred black landscape along the roadway. At one point, we crawled past an eerie sight: the shadowed outline of a tree, the tree standing alone with the glowing fire in the background, and nothing but black charred ground all around it. How the tree survived illustrates the mystery of a wildfire to me.

We entered Fort Davis from the west amid the smoke. We strained hard to see if we could make out houses or buildings, but on that side of Fort Davis, it was too dark to see anything. And it was very smokey. In the distance, we saw what we thought was Fort Davis Estates burning, but judging distance was difficult. We later figured out it was actually the area east of Fort Davis Estates, and that the fire had already passed through Fort Davis Estates. We saw faint outlines of a couple of houses, but could not determine if others had burned down. A friend/co-worker lives in Fort Davis Estates. We saw the outline of a two-story house, eerily lit by its solar garden lights.

We approached the Fort Davis Fire Station with caution as it was crawling with tanker trucks, small water trucks, utility trucks, DPS and Border Patrol cars and pickups, and people. The fire station was a sentinel, the only man-made light around. Somebody from the station directed us around to the east side of the building. David backed the truck in and within minutes and with lots of help, what had taken us an hour to load on our own earlier was neatly stacked and ready to distribute. There was little time for hugs and inquiries because a fire truck that was blocked by the big Food Bank truck needed to get out, so we quickly left, but not before I asked one woman about her own home. She said she lives in an adobe home built in 1917 about a mile and half northeast of Fort Davis, and that she had tried to check on it earlier, but the fire kept her away. She did not know the fate of her home. We agreed together to believe that since the home had survived many events since 1917, it surely remained untouched by the fire. I truly hope that is true.

We left the fire station, departing Fort Davis on Highway 17. At the last minute, we decided to head south on Highway 118 toward Alpine via the direct route rather than traveling the long way through Marfa. In agreement that we would turn back if necessary, we drove cautiously through the fire, smoke, and embers past Fort Davis Estates (where our friend’s home hopefully stands), the Davis Mountains Education Center, the cutoff to Dolores Mountain, High Frontier, and the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, plus many other landmarks. The fire surrounded the road on both sides. Fence posts and utility poles, broken and bent over like fallen trees, burned. We finally emerged where the only remnant of fire we could see was gray ash on the roadway, until we came out of the Davis Mountains and saw the other wildfire that started near Sul Ross’s Range and Animal Science building burning east of Alpine. We got home at about 2:30 AM.

We learned today that because of a shift in wind direction, the Alpine fire burned westward and crossed over 118, once again threatening Alpine. We visited the Alpine Fire Department today to see what we could do, but volunteer firefighter Oscar Rodriguez reported that people had been bringing bottled water and sandwiches through Saturday night and Sunday morning, so they are set for now. We heard reports that some of the historic buildings in downtown Fort Davis burned, but have no confirmation. (Rumors run rampant and we await confirmation.) We heard that the Hotel Limpia was saved. We heard that herds of aoudad and other wild animal could not outrun the fire. We heard that firefighters cut fences to allow cattle to escape. We heard that the livestock toll is huge and will likely never be accurately counted. We heard that a rancher was forced to shoot his horses because they were on fire. This last report was too much. I cried.

The most recent update (Sunday at 5:02 pm) said that Highway 67 to Fort Stockton is now closed and that traffic is backed up. The Marfa airport is being threatened again. The Alpine fire is still out of control. Power will not be restored to Fort Davis and surrounding area for days. The owner of Murphy’s Pizza in Fort Davis asked for generators so their food could be saved from spoilage.The American Red Cross and Salvation Army are in the area with supplies. The American Red Cross is not accepting donations until tomorrow (Monday).

Kudos to Tom Michael, station manager at Marfa Public Radio (http://www.marfapublicradio.org/), and others at the station for reporting updates through the night and into today. Kudos also to the Big Bend Sentinel (newspaper, www.bigbendnow.com) for providing online updates. The local Alpine station (KVLF on FM and KALP on AM; http://www.bigbendradio.com/) quit providing information last night and at noon today, the website's last report was old - from 6pm yesterday.

Pray for Wretha & Others in the Wildfire's Path

2011-04-09T18:34:00.001-07:00

Many friends and area neighbors are in the path of a raging and totally uncontained wildfire. Please wrap your arms around them now. Thank you.

Sometimes A Little Inspiration...

2011-04-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

...goes a long way.

I learned about the Get Rich Slowly (http://www.getrichslowly.org/) blog from Less is Enough (http://lessisenough.wordpress.com/).

Get Rich Slowly (GRS) is a personal finance site. I usually run far away from such sources of financial how-to because I'm tired of hearing how, if I just stop drinking (buying) a cup of Starbucks a day, I can retire a millionaire. First off, I rarely buy coffee at a retail establishment. David brews really good coffee at home. And, for the record, David delivers it to me every morning while I'm still in bed. (Thanks, David!) This type of finacial advice doesn't resonate. But GRS is the exception.

If you want a little inspiration from a young'un who is debt- and mortgage-free, check out this video from GRS: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/04/09/grs-video-contest-update/.

P. S. I'm proud that during the federal government shenanigans, not once did I experience a meltdown even though my job's salary is federally-funded. That's peace.

A Revelation

2011-03-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

I might be white trash.I was in an email dialogue with Mark the Dirt Farmer about when David will be picking up our vegetables this week, and it occurred to me.

House has wheels? Check.

Pit bull on premises? Check. I'm lucky that she lets me live in the house with wheels.

Likes bowling? Check.

Considers participating in roller derby a form of personal development? Check.

Favorite cocktail glass is a mason jar? Yup.

Construction of the chicken coop takes priority over house remodel? Uh huh.

Starts garden seeds in empty toilet paper rolls? Ugh. This is embarrasing.

Ample supply of duct tape? Yeah.

Selects wine based on bottle color? Ugh.

Plans to use wine bottles in remodel project? Uh oh.

Look What We Picked up on the Way Home From Work Yesterday!

2011-03-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

An old restaurant (on the right) + a 1 bedroom cottage (on the left) on two commercially-zoned lots. The cottage needs a shipload of work. The restaurant needs a dinghy full of work. We plan to convert the restaurant into a home. In the meantime, we'll still be living in the motorhome, just moving it to the new location. I can't wait to tell how it all came about in a soon-to-come update.

Philosophy

2011-03-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Road trip!

I read some enlightening material today. "Why does love break my heart?" anonymous wrote. "Because it's not love, it's lust!" another anonymous wrote. "Trust is one's most important asset," yet another anonymous wrote. Not one cuss word. Not one "f" word. Profound statements on the bathroom wall... er, the toilet paper holder.

Across the State and Back in Three Days

2011-03-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm gettin' too old for this. Tessa and I drove to The Woodlands to see Jamie and Mikael. I forgot how wide our beautiful state is. We made it back on Friday night after midnight. The road was littered with dead deer - one every few feet, seriously. But we had no close calls. Thanks, cardboard Jesus.

Tessa, Me, Jamie

Tessa

Remembering Mom

2011-03-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today is the anniverary of Mom's death.

Here: http://idratherbe-ginger.blogspot.com/2008/03/erma-gwendolyn-crawford-grantham.html and here for video: http://idratherbe-ginger.blogspot.com/2008/03/family.html

She died three years ago. It's difficult to comprehend. I am well and happy and now know that I did everything I could to care for her. I didn't always believe that, but today, I live with regret no more. This would make her very happy.

Two Posts in One Day?! Raw Un-pasteurized Non-Homogenized Cow’s Milk

2011-03-13T13:44:00.001-07:00

Do you have your own milk cow? If so, lucky you! If not, maybe you would like to find a good source for fresh milk. Perhaps you want raw un-pasteurized non-homogenized cow’s milk. If so, you will have some trouble because milk sold at the market is pasteurized and in many states,selling raw milk is illegal. For those who want raw milk, there is a way around this problem.

I was talking to a new friend recently, and she said her brother, Milton, has dairy cows. Consider this. Milton cannot sell raw milk. Even so, friends and family frequently want to buy raw milk from Milton. So, Milton established a milk cow co-op. He “sold” a milk cow, Flossie, to several people who each “bought” a part of her. As a personal favor, Milton keeps Flossie, the milk cow, at his place. Flossie’s owners pay a fee for Milton to board her and care for her. And as a personal favor to each of Flossie’s owners, Milton milks her and passes the raw milk onto Flossie’s owners. So, you see, he’s not selling raw milk to anyone because Flossie’s owners own the milk. Brilliant! Want goat’s milk? Read the above post but substitute “goat” for “cow” - “Billie Jo” for “Flossie” - and perhaps, "Betsy" for "Milton."

Homemade Almond Milk

2011-03-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

I am not lactose intolerant, but to take care of my belly, I have cow's milk only on occasion. I decided to make some homemade almond milk for drinking and for enhancing my evening cup of decaf java. (I am a diehard black regular coffee drinker in the mornings, thank you. No flavors or creams touch my morning cup of joe.)

Have you ever made your own almond milk? I haven't, until a few minutes ago. I bought some raw almonds from a co-worker, L. L's brother is an almond farmer and L sells them locally for $8 a pound, or $7 a pound if buying 5 pounds or more.

Here's what you'll need to prepare the almonds and to make the milk:

two containers: one for soaking the almonds and another with a lid for storing the milk
2/3 cup raw almonds
cool water
cheesecloth or some kind of fine strainer
a blender or food processor
if you want flavor (it's good plain): vanilla, honey, cocoa, cinnamon, whatever

1. Place almonds in a jar. I used a large peanut butter jar that I had lying around.

2. Add 2 to 3 cups cool water. Stir to make sure the water is covering all the almonds.

3. Soak for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse well. (This water is full of nutrients. Some people drink it or water plants with it.) Cover the almonds again with water.

4. Soak for another 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse well. If you want, you can do another round of soaking, or you can stop here and proceed to making the milk. I did another round of soaking.

5. When finished soaking and draining, you'll have a little more than 1 cup of almonds. The almonds will be soft and slightly sweet and are great for snacking if you want to skip making milk. If so, refrigerate them. To make milk, place 1 cup of your soaked almonds in a blender or food processor with 3 cups cold water. Blend for a couple of minutes.

6. Strain the milk through cheesecloth or a fine strainer into a container. (Save the pulp! Dehydrate for flour or use as is to make cookies or bread or... experiment. I'm using some seasoned pulp to coat chicken for skillet sauteeing tonight.)

7. Leave the almond milk plain, or flavor with vanilla, honey, cinnamon, or whatever you like. I flavored mine with honey and vanilla. Refrigerate.

8. Enjoy!

Sprout Seeds for your Seed Stash and Preps?

2011-03-02T21:08:00.000-08:00

(Sprouts grown in a canning jar.)

When David and I talk about our future of living remotely and off grid, I always think about gardening. And how bad I am at it. I had a big successful garden when I was 19 with some guidance from a gardening guru. Twenty-nine years later, my second garden (yeah, I took a near 30-year gardening vacation) was terribly unsuccessful. The next year, my container garden's harvest was pathetic. Container gardening is tricky because pest suspectibility is a problem. I shudder to think of incorporating my gardening skills into providing a real, solid food source for us.

Then, David, at the suggestion of a sweet co-worker/friend, started growing sprouts and selling them at the Saturday Farmers' Market while he was unemployed. (He's working now, but he's hooked, so he is now the official local Sprout Guy.) I admit I was into the possibility of him making some money and did not care about the details. But, after watching him do this for the last few months, I realize that sprouts are easy to both store and grow. And after doing some research, now I know that they are packed with incredible nutrition that simply cannot be found in other foods. They are a fantastic source of protein, which is so important when rounding out your food storage options. Equally important, most varieties are havestable within 3 to 7 days, and are grown indoors without regard for weather. The seeds store well, and when harvested and prepared properly, the sprouts can be stored for two to six weeks.(If they go bad, give them to your chickens.) Home grown sprouts don't compare to store-bought. Your home growns will be super tasty.

If you are interested in a source of high protein, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, and fiber, then think about sprouts. Chlorophyll forms in some varieties when they are exposed to light at the end of the growing cycle. Chlorophyll helps oxygenate your blood. Enzymes assist digestion and help assimilate the nutrients contained in the sprouts. Fiber keeps the digestive system working smoothly. Lecithin has been said to help rid your body of cholesterol (some say yes, some say no, and some say lecithin helps strengthen nerve sheaths in multiple sclerosis patients). Sprouts are rich in antioxidants. Brassicas (broccoli, radish, etc. sprouts) contain the phytochemical Sulforaphane Glucosinolate (SGS), a compound which has been discovered by researchers at Johns Hopkins University to detoxify carcinogens from the body (i.e., help prevent cancer). Broccoli sprouts contain the highest quantity of SGS, and can help fight against prostate cancer and reduce high blood pressure. You can eat them raw on salads or sandwiches, or cooked in stir-fries, soups and stews, or baked in breads. There's so much more...

So, have you thought about sprout seeds for your seed stash and emergency preparations? If not, find a source for sprout seeds: broccoli, alfalfa, radish, clover, peas, lentils, mungs, adzukis, sunflower, garbanzo, cabbage, flax, and many more.

My Brother's Latest Book

2011-02-23T19:49:00.000-08:00

This is my brother's latest book, available in book or for Kindle.
http://www.amazon.com/Collinstown-Robert-Neal/dp/193612727X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298519277&sr=8-1

Forgiveness

2011-02-19T07:45:00.001-08:00

Forgiveness (fer giv' ness) - the act of pardoning or willingness to pardon an offense or an offender.

What are your thoughts on forgiveness? Almost unananimously, when considering or learning about forgiveness, the scope of the discussion is about you or me forgiving someone else for something done to you or me. Or having someone else forgive you or me for something you or I have done to that person, the person who is doing the forgiving. Often, the act is "unforgiveable." A public insult, a terrible lie or destructive deception, an affair. Of course, whether or not the act is unforgiveable is up to the one doing the forgiving.

What I want to talk about here is forgiving... forgiving oneself. This leads to me thinking about my past and some of the poor decisions made in my early adulthood that were the foundation for unforgiveness of myself. Some decisions that made me feel like I was unforgiveable and that there were consequences to be paid. To whom? A unforgiving God? An unforgiving parent? No to both of those. That was not part of my experience or upbringing. An unforgiving self? Yes to that. I have recently realized that I have been incredibly and insanely hard on myself. (Clarification: I've known this, but I felt powerless to change it, so I lived with the constant stream of negative self-talk in my head and put on the happy face.) I've spent a lifetime believing that others are entitled to this gift - forgiveness - while believing that I could not be forgiven. Recently, that has changed. I can't put my finger on the precise moment. It has been more of a process of awakening. I had a glimpse of enlightenment in the early 90s when I was involved in a 12-step program, but when I left that part of my life behind, I wasn't able to carry that enlightenment forward. I'm grateful that I am experiencing a new period of enlightenment. I am happy to say that I have forgiven myself.

It is clear to me that this process of self-forgiveness parallels many wonderful changes around here. David got the job, financial problems have been solved, general problems are being worked out. There's much more to it than the simplicity of it here, but many good things are happening.

I'm hopeful some readers will thoughtfully comment and I look forward to reading what you have to say.

Forgiveness

2011-02-19T07:43:00.001-08:00

Forgiveness (fer giv' ness) - the act of pardoning or willingness to pardon an offense or an offender.

What are your thoughts on forgiveness? Almost unananimously, when considering or learning about forgiveness, the scope of the discussion is about you or me forgiving someone else for something done to you or me. Or having someone else forgive you or me for something we have done to that person, the person who is doing the forgiving. Often, the act is "unforgiveable." A public insult, a terrible lie or destructive deception, an affair. Of course, whether or not the act is unforgiveable is up to the one doing the forgiving.

What I want to talk about here is forgiving... forgiving oneself. This leads to me thinking about my past and some of the poor decisions made in my early adulthood that were the foundation for unforgiveness of myself. Some decisions that made me feel like I was unforgiveable and that there were consequences to be paid. To whom? A unforgiving God? An unforgiving parent? No to both of those. That was not part of my experience or upbringing. An unforgiving self? Yes to that. I have recently realized that I have been incredibly and insanely hard on myself. (Clarification: I've known this, but I felt powerless to change it, so I lived with the constant stream of negative self-talk in my head and put on the happy face.) I've spent a lifetime believing that others are entitled to this gift - forgiveness - while believing that I could not be forgiven. Recently, that has changed. I can't put my finger on the precise moment. It has been more of a process of awakening. I had a glimpse of enlightenment in the early 90s when I was involved in a 12-step program, but when I left that part of my life behind, I wasn't able to carry that enlightenment forward. I'm grateful that I am experiencing a new period of enlightenment. I am happy to say that I have forgiven myself.

It is clear to me that this process of self-forgiveness parallels many wonderful changes around here. David got the job, financial problems have been solved, general problems are being worked out. There's much more to it than the simplicity of it here, but many good things are happening.

I'm hopeful some readers will thoughtfully comment and I look forward to reading what you have to say.

Post 2-0-1? Introducing the Truck.

2011-02-13T16:16:00.000-08:00

I completely missed that I posted the 200th one last time. No fanfare here for the 200th, so here's the 201st.

Here's the truck. It's a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 with 150k miles on it. $1,500!! What a deal! (I realize the mileage is high, but) it was a company truck and well cared for by the seller. David and the seller went to the tax office together to transfer the title. Even so, David had to pay tax on the "presumptive value." I was halfway expecting that, and had prepared David for it, but the seller was irritated about it, even though the money wasn't coming out of his pocket. Regardless, no complaints as it made the purchase + tax, title and license total $1,815.75. We are ever grateful that it all came together at precisely the right time. (I can't believe we ever bought brand new cars, but yes, in the past, we were that stupid. Live and learn.)

The Ramcharger? It's in the shop getting a rear-end rebuild.

No Deal, Deal, Ice Chest, Flu, Job

2011-02-12T11:46:00.000-08:00

School is in session which means postings are sparse. I am not a multi-tasker (meaning I don't do well with keeping up the blog while doing homework) and I'm not afraid to admit it.

I was on the lookout for a good deal on a decent used car. I found something in the local online paper, but we missed out on it. (I am leaving behind my limited thinking...) So I kept looking and found something even better and more appropriate for our needs... a pickup. It was an amazing deal and within budget.* Photos and details to follow in the next post.

I posted the photo of Snow Bull in the previous post (or here if you don't want to scroll down). I must give credit where credit is due. That Snow Bull was built by the cowboys and cowgirls who live at the RV Park where we are full-timers. Underneath the snow was a dark green igloo ice chest. "That snow bull!" Or for those who don't speak Texan, "That's no bull!" Heh heh.

I've got the flu and have been in bed for two and half days. Today is good, though, with the sun shining and warmer temperatures.

*David has a new job! He starts on Monday.

Snow Bull

2011-02-04T14:53:00.001-08:00

A Random Act of Kindness

2011-02-01T16:24:00.000-08:00

Are you ever in the middle of something, like buying groceries or pumping gas into your car's gas tank and suddenly, hear a voice that speaks to your heart to do something radical? Like the voice tells you to anonymously pay for a stranger's meal or pay for somebody's gas? Well, do it! Don't hesitate. Don't think about it. Just move forward and do it. Don't complicate it by overthinking or questioning because you'll lose the moment.

The recipient will feel great, and you, the giver will feel even better than great. Do it! Even if it's a sacrifice. Especially if it's a sacrifice.

How Much Do You Spend On...

2011-01-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

How much do you spend on groceries? When we lived in Houston, food prices were lower for us. When we moved to the Big Bend Region, we found food, personal care, fuel, and housing to be much higher than in Houston. Car insurance is definitely less, though.

When I had to quit eating grains, sugar, and most dairy, our grocery expenditures went up significantly. Grains are cheap and when times are lean, grains and legumes can fill the holes in a small food budget. Beans and rice (which, combined, are in my top five favorite foods no matter how flush with money I am) are easy on a food budget. But when you can't eat beans, rice, flour (which includes all breads, tortillas, crackers, thickeners, etc.), peanut butter, dairy (except homemade yogurt), sugar, and starches of any kind (no corn, potatoes, starch/binders/fillers like in canned foods and store-bought seasonings), it's dangerous to the grocery budget. You're left with unprocessed meats, aged cheeses, eggs, most fresh vegetables and fruits, butter, olive oil, homemade long-fermented yogurt, grape juice (Welch's only), and honey. That means nothing canned except pineapple.

Fortunately, I've rarely relied on boxed or processed foods. I love to make homemade bread (I selfishly don't do it anymore since I can't eat it, but David makes bread for himself) and I like making things from scratch. I've been able to introduce some foods back into my diet over the past few weeks. I can now eat real corn tortillas (the kind with corn, oil, and salt and nothing more), lentils and black beans as long as they are soaked and rinsed several times before cooking, chocolate on occasion, certain canned vegetables, peanut butter, and small portions of sweet potatoes. I sometimes sneek a little sugar in there, too. Seriously, just a little. I don't want to take any chances. I still make yogurt and flavor it with honey, frozen mango pulp, and pineapple, but I've been able to cut the fermentation time back from 24 hours to 6 hours. We eat a lot of sprouts, which David grows for the farmers' market.

Before David and I made a real commitment to managing our budget, we were spending $470 to $600 per month on groceries, often more. Now, I work very hard to keep our budget at $300 per month. That includes food for the two of us, personal care items, cleaning products (most of which I make myself), and food for our dogs (my three dogs eat raw meat). Coupon opportunities are rare around here and the grocery store does not have a rewards card. So, how much do you spend on groceries?

Feel Like It's Too Late?

2011-01-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like it's too late? Like you waited too late to start living the "reformed" part of your life? Like you straightened yourself up too late to appreciate what you have? Or what you could have? Like you started saving too late for your emergency fund? Like it's too late to catch up on stashing the cash you'll need for retirement? Like you got off sugar too late and now you're stuck with stubborn unbudgeable (is that a word?) belly fat and cellulite on your thighs?

I'm taking a novel writing class this semester (starts tomorrow), and tonight, as I looked over the class syllabus, it occurred to me that I might not have enough time to get that novel on paper before my time on earth is up. I should forget the nudge I get periodically to write a book. I'm into short story writing anyway. When I write, I get O-V-E-R the storyline at unforseeable and unpredictable times during the writing process, usually during the third or fourth round of edits. A short story allows me to be done with it when I think I can't take one more bit of dialog from the main character, one more correct comma placement, or one more verb tense fix.

Do you ever feel like it's too late?

Finances

2011-01-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

I'm going out on a limb here and sharing our financial truths. This brutal honesty would have been impossible in the past. I'm on a mission to acknowledge what I want to change. I hope you read on.

When David and I lived in Houston (until about two and a half years ago), we made plenty of money. Unfortunately, we lived carelessly. Maybe carelessly doesn't quite describe it. We were blind to what was really going on with our finances. Neither one of us wanted the job of handling the money watch. I think in the typical couple, there is usually a spender and a saver. David would agree with me that we were both spenders. Ironically, I'm not a shopper. I've never enjoyed hitting the malls or outlets to shop for shoes or clothes. But I do love cars. I love gadgets. And I love eating out with my family (at least, I did before we woke up). I've had many cars over the years with ridiculous car payments. I started out smart. The first car I ever bought by myself was in 1980. It was a very low mileage/barely used 1980 Toyota Supra and I paid cash for it. I was 20 and that car purchase was preceded by my first house at age 19. I was set, had a great job, and no debt except the house payment at $323 per month which included principal, interest, taxes and insurance. The house was a 1950s rancher that had been completely remodeled from top to bottom.

I still sometimes question what created my financial blindness. I know some of it involved trying to live up to the way things looked on the surface and sinking as I tried to keep up with my friends, all who were in debt, too. (I'll give myself a tiny break here. I married at 24, divorced at 29, and had three precious little girls in tow, ages 4, 3, and 1. I looked great on the surface with beautifully-dressed children, an expensive car, nice clothes, lots of jewelry - all remnants of the marriage - but I was spiritually, emotionally, and financially broke. There were times when the girls and I lived with friends and had little food to eat, but we made it through. Thank goodness for selling jewelry and kind friends.)

Back to the present. You may remember that David lost his job on November 2. In the not-too-distance past, this would have meant financial ruin. Fortunately, we were prepared. I'm not saying things are perfect, but they are good enough. Fine, in fact. We no longer live with blinders on and haven't for the last two years. We know where every penny goes and have tracked our income and outgo for the last 18 months. We knew exactly where we needed to cut back because everything was detailed in 18 months of spreadsheets.

Monthly expenses, current compared to past. Annual expenses are prorated monthly.

House
or Lot                   Houston $1181 / Big Bend YR 1 $475 / Today $275

Motorhome,
purchased
Big Bend YR 2
(balance on
loan: $400!!!)       Houston $0 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $300

HOA
or POA,
prorated               Houston $38 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $13

Land
purchased
before leaving
Houston
(balance on
loan: $4,700)        Houston $165 / Big Bend YR 1 $165 / Today $165

Property
Taxes                   Houston $275 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $6

Home
Ins                        Houston $162 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $65

Car #1
Payment                Houston $588 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $0

Car #2
Payment                Houston $318 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $0

Electricity              Houston $400 / Big Bend YR 1 $75 / Today $0

Nat Gas
or
Propane
(we had a
heated pool
in Houston-
Yikes!)                 Houston $225 / Big Bend YR 1 $35 / Today $25

Water                   Houston $45 / Big Bend YR 1 $70 / Today $0

Auto
Insurance               Houston $175 / Big Bend YR 1 $43 / Today $36

Motorcycle
Insurance
(purchased
MC in 2010
with cash!)             Houston $0 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $9

Health
Insurance               Houston $900 / Big Bend YR 1 $343/ Today $389

Cell phones            Houston $590 / Big Bend YR 1 $323 / Today $245

Cable or
Satellite                  Houston $150 / Big Bend YR 1 $0 / Today $51

Home phone
(bundled w/
cable in
Houston)                Houston $0 / Big Bend YR 1 $33 / Today $18

Internet
(bundled w/
cable in
Houston)               Houston $0 / Big Bend YR 1 $30 / Today $0

Total                     Houston $5,212 / Big Bend YR 1 $1,617 / Today $1,597

This list doesn't include groceries, personal care, and fuel (all higher in the Big Bend), textbooks, and student loans. I have student loans ($17,500) and we have credit card debt ($10,785) that we've been paying down. Ugh! I hate those things but I must acknowledge them. The student loans and credit cards are next in our debt-reduction plan, and as soon as David gets back to work, we will tackle those again. For now, we are supplementing my salary with our emergency fund. I realize that we have some unnecessary expenses, like cell phones and satellite. We still carry our daughters on our cell phone plan, but they do their share. We rarely have entertainment expenses because everything we love doing is free or nearly free.

We still live in our motorhome (and have been since September 2009), and it will be paid off in a month. We love full-time RV living because it gives us freedom from yard work and home maintenance and all the usual homeownership chores, and it costs a lot less than a regular home.

Thanks for sharing our financial picture.

Edit 1/17/11 @ 9:10pm CST
I want to explain the motorcycle purchase that we made in 2010. We bought the motorcycle because David's truck gets about 10 mpg, and given his weekly mileage, the motorcycle + the shipping costs paid for itself in fuel savings in about five months. It was, literally, a calculated decision. Now that we are living on my paycheck + David's Farmers' Market income (which is still in the red but that is projected to change by March), the motorcycle continues to be a wise decision. Our fuel budget is way down.

Quick Post - The Story of Stuff

2011-01-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

I am still operating without a computer, but snagging a few minutes at work during break. Here is an excerpt from an interesting film called The Story of Stuff. I hope you enjoy it. Or, I hope you hate it. I think we need to stir things up around here. You can watch the full video on Youtube.

I'll be back in the land of the blogging soon, (ironically) because the new laptop should be here any minute. You'll get what I mean after you watch the excerpt.Take care, friends!

Ding Dong, The Laptop's Dead!

2011-01-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

Over the winter break, my laptop died. It's a Dell XPS M1530. It has been an inferior piece of computing equipment since about Day 70 of ownership. it has been in for warranty work several times. If I were Dell, I would be embarrassed. But I'm not Dell.

The delete, backspace, and left arrow keys don't work. This makes me an excellent typist because I can't correct mistakes. But when I slip, you see the mistakes in my posts because I can't go backwards. My boss said this is a positive thing... that my laptop only wants to move forward into the future.

It (my laptop) has been dying in increments for a long time. It (Dell) has supposedly been making a comeback. (Do you remember when Dell was at the top of computing?) Even armed with this knowledge, I hadn't backed up since July 3, 2010. I suppose I'm a risk taker.

Maybe later, I'll order the parts and fix it. I'm lucky that I know how to do these things after many years of doing hardware and software support. For now, though, a new laptop is heading my way.

I work in a technology-related department at a university. This department is anti-laptop, but a desktop computer is impractical for me. So, I go forth and gamble once again. It's not lost on me that there are many students on campus (and in my classes) with 5 year old Macs that are still running strong, with battery packs that still last for hours. But it's not in my budget to purchase a Mac right now.

I am making this post from a computer at work during my lunch hour. I get to take a lunch hour now because I'm on a break from school. Spring 2011 starts January 20th. I hope to catch up on all the blog-abouts and happenings I've missed for the past few months.

Update on David's Friend

2010-12-29T17:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone for your comments, emails, prayers and concerns! David's friend mentioned in the previous post is doing well! She is off the ventilator now and we think her feeding tube was removed today. Her kidneys are functioning at 90% now, so there does not seem to be permanent damage. Her son is still with her at the hospital. After her release from the hospital and a quick trip through town to pack up some personal items of hers, she will live with her son and his family in Arizona. I'm so glad she pulled through.

Check in with your Friends, Friends

2010-12-21T09:20:00.000-08:00

When David was the manager at DQ, he met lots of people, and as a result, he has many more friends than he did before he started working there. People still know him as the DQ manager, even though he's been gone for almost two months now. Others have been very vocal that it's not the same without him. (I don't want to get into the negatives here.) When we go to the store together, he runs into so many of these friends. While it makes for some long shopping trips, I don't care. It's fun to meet and catch up with other people in town.

You would probably be surprised to know how many elderly folks use the DQ as their connection to the outside world. One of the benefits of David being the manager was that he got to see these elderly folks several times a week and check on them. Consequently, he helped a few who needed assistance. He became good friends with one particular elderly lady who lives alone and doesn't have any family in the area. She is fiercely independent, headstrong, and very stubborn. She is retired from the military (Air Force, I think) and also has a second retirement as, I think, an assistant to a high-ranking official, but I don't remember which government agency. She usually came to the DQ in the mornings before opening hours, but David never turned her away, even when they were closed. He always made sure she had coffee and something to eat. Sometimes, she came in later in the day and ordered off the DQ menu. More often, though, David prepared something for her from food he kept in the fridge for just such an occasion. (The local DQ doesn't serve breakfast.) Sometimes, she brought her bills in and David helped her sort out and pay her bills. Sometimes, her electricity got shut off, not because she didn't have the money to pay, but because she needed help with the reminders. David gently nudged her into setting up her accounts on automatic payment, but she never wanted to do that, so he went by her house often to check on her, to make sure everything was running smoothly, to help her pay her bills, to take out her trash, and to see if she had enough food. During one visit when I accompanied him, we learned that she had a son somewhere in Arizona, but she would not offer too much information because she was afraid we might call him and her son would make her leave her home that she loves so much. At the time, she was doing quite well on her own except for the bill-paying problems, so there wasn't a reason to think she couldn't continue. She got around well enough, still ran some of her own errands, and generally cared for herself.

Yesterday morning, David went into town to apply for a particular job he saw in the paper, and before he came back home, he stopped by the elderly lady's house. Her car was in the driveway, but the gate, which is usually closed and latched, was open. David went to every door, called her on the phone, etc., but couldn't reach her. He called the DQ to ask when they'd last seen her, which was three days ago. He had stopped by her house last week, but her car was gone, so he thought she may have gone to visit family in Arizona for the holidays. But they had seen her at the DQ since then.

It wasn't unusual for her to avoid coming to the door. Usually, when she realized it was David, she came to the door. He considered that maybe her son or another relative picked her up for the holidays. But something just didn't feel right, particularly because the gate was open. During past visits, when she was at home, the gate was always secured. David went to the sheriff's office to see if they could assist him in getting into the house, and they went back over there together. The doors were locked with chairs wedged under the door handles, her method of extra security. (My own grandmother did this as she aged. She worried about break ins.) They finally found an unlocked hidden door that led into her bedroom and managed to get the chair out from under the door handle. They found her on the bathroom floor, and immediately called emergency services. She was conscious but not in very good condition. They suspected her hip or leg was broken. She thought she was lying in her bed. She didn't realize she was on the bathroom floor.

While all this was going on, David called me at home. I immediately went to work, googling her name and any other information I could find about someone in Arizona with the same last name. Unfortunately, she has the same name as a celebrity, which makes it tough to find info about anyone but the celebrity! However, I found her sister's obituary, which led me to her sister's surviving husband (a former postal employee of many years), which led me to his obituary, which led me to his surviving sons, who (in 2007, at least) were living nearby. I was frustrated, though, because I couldn't find telephone listings for anybody in these obituaries. One of the guys had a blog, but it hadn't been updated since 2008. (Yesterday afternoon, we found out those relatives had moved away.) Back at the lady's house, while they were tending to her, the phone rang and David asked the sheriff's deputy if he could answer it. Miraculously, it turned out to be the son from Arizona! Within a few minutes, he was on his long trip to get to his Mom, but not before David and he had a laugh about how fiercely stubborn she is about maintaining her home and living alone. I think, based on what the son said, he felt guilty that it was David there with his mom instead of him, but the guilt has no basis. Her son did all she allowed him to do for her.

This morning, David went to see her in the hospital. He thought he'd check on her, then take her favorite thing to her, a strawberry shake. Even with HIPAA and all the privacy laws, they have allowed him to visit her and know a little about her condition. David had called the night before to check on her, but wasn't able to talk to anyone about her. Unfortunately, this morning, she is in pretty bad shape, is mostly unaware of what is happening, and is now in renal failure, which could have been caused by dehydration, but who knows. She doesn't "believe" in doctors, so she's had little to no medical care. In spite of this (perhaps because of it?), she is 84 and until now, got around pretty well. (During one of our visits, she told me about the big box full of meds her late sister took daily, and this made her quite angry. She was certain the med interactions had contributed to her sister's death.) David is staying with her at the hospital until they airlift her to a bigger city for more advanced care. Her son hasn't arrived yet, but David reached him by phone, so he has changed routes and is now on his way to the bigger city.

Please keep this lady in your thoughts and prayers. I hope she pulls through, but maybe this is her time. Personally, I don't think she's done yet. David is understandably upset as he has gotten to know her very well over the last year. Her stubbornness and independence reminds David of his own late mother. Whatever the outcome, I hope she is free from pain. I hope she isn't too mad at David. Yesterday, when she was in better shape, she thanked him several times, but was aware that her living-alone days may be over. She's such an interesting person with so many stories to tell.

The point of my story is this... when your inner voice nags you, listen to it! Better to be wrong now than sorry later. Also, don't question or doubt the reasons for your circumstances. (This lesson is for me.) If we had more money to spare right now, we would have been traveling. We are free to do whatever we want right now because I'm taking vacation and holiday time, and don't have to be back at work until Jan 3. This lady would have stayed on her bathroom floor, perhaps with a very sad and lonely ending to her story.

Take care, dear readers, and enjoy this holiday season.

PS22 Chorus

2010-12-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

Check them out! I'm sure you've seen them before, but definitely worth revisiting. The PS22 Chorus (of 5th graders) on Staten Island, NY. You'll be glad you did.
http://ps22chorus.blogspot.com/

This semester's finals are over. It's time for winter break.

Faith... Or I Just Don't Know Myself Lately

2010-12-14T17:56:00.000-08:00

When David lost his job, I panicked. Really. And I was angry. He had done such a good job, and nepotism had taken his job away from him. I projected WAY out into the future, a future of doom, gloom, poverty, and lack. But then something strange happened. I realized that we had planned, so we had a bit of a cushion. I realized that we had downsized our lives, so our expenses are less than ever. And I realized that I have a choice in what I will think and believe about our future.

I started listening to those around me. I listened to Jesse, who said that this door closed so another, better door could open. I listened to Tessa, who said that better things are ahead. I listened to Rick, who questioned if David could continue working almost every day without a day off, often 12 to 14 hours a day. I listened to Karen, who said God has a unique plan for us. I listened to Grace, who said we deserve good things. I listened to Debbie, who said, "Tell David to sell sprouts at the Farmers' Market!" I listened to my inner voice that reminded me the reason we came here was to start over and live a simpler and uncomplicated life. And the voice that further told me that David's job couldn't fit into that plan. And I noticed that not one single person offered any doom and gloom, poverty, or lack when they spoke the positive things into my life.

So I made a decision to believe for the best outcome. I relaxed (mostly). I put the kibosh on the negative thinking, but more importantly, I replaced the negative thinking with a heartfelt request for faith. And I asked God for the lesson so I can move on (because I do believe that this is my lesson to learn, not David's).

I started out in life as an optimist. But year upon year of bad events in my life from my mid-20s to mid-30s turned me into a pessimist, and I got very skilled at expecting the worst... and often getting it. My close friends know I'm not religious, but I am and always have been a believer. I had just convinced myself that I had strayed so far from my path that there was no way to get back on it. But now I have a fresh new outlook. David and I are volunteering more in the community, something David never had time to do before. And David is actually selling sprouts at the farmers' market starting this Saturday. I feel well. I sleep soundly.

And here is the best illustration of Faith that I know. If you haven't seen Faith, the two-legged dog (how is that possible?), just click on the video. Or Google "Faith, the two-legged dog." She is, without a doubt, faith in action.

And if you can't get enough Faith, go to her website to see more videos:
http://faiththedog.info/category/tags/video

The Very Beginning of the Earthbag House

2010-12-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

Ok, it's not much, but here is the beginning of the earthbag project. Unfortunately, the bags did not arrive in time for us to start actually placing filled bags. But the late arrival of the bags freed us up to work on the solar oven, the Loo with a View, and the creation of a bit of a fire break around the place.

1. We picked a spot.

2. We cleared the spot and put a piece of rebar in the center. We tied a rope to the rebar to use as a guide for creating a circle.

3. I dug the trench. It's deeper than it looks.

4. That rock is smack in the middle of the bedroom. Move to come on moving it.

More pictures will follow soon.

So Long, Old Friend.

2010-12-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Waring Pro,

You've been a reliable friend, dear Waring Pro. With your two-burner setup, your 12-cups of hot java in less than three minutes, and your hot water on demand, you've been a tried-and-true companion for many, many mornings. You were a bargain at the best Tuesday Morning in Houston, the one near the corner of Briar Forest and Dairy Ashford, but a bargain not easily had. You were stuck on the top shelf, lonely and unwanted, your box slightly bent and covered in dust, with David eyeing your sleek beauty for months until your keepers finally introduced a 50% -off sale. Yes, they tried to mark your price UP from $99 to $139 at the start of that 50%-off sale, but David, having been ever watchful, snagged you for the bargain price of 50% off $99, or $49.50 + tax to be exact.

You've been with us through 2,867 pots of coffee, 1,283 cups of tea, through the moves, the holidays, the dinner parties, the good times and the bad, the job losses, the job gains, the business successes and the business failures, the sickness and the health, and even the deaths. You've warmed our bodies on chilly winter mornings and awakened us on warm summer mornings, and helped us stay awake through many late nights. You've filled our thermos with warmth and love too many times to count. You're brewed many types of coffee, from regular old Folgers to a hearty Turkish blend. But alas, your circuitry is faulty. You trip the breakers. We prefer not to die in an unexpected inferno, so we send you to your final resting place, dear Waring Pro Professional Coffeemaker Model WC1000. We will miss you forever.

This is for Dani

2010-12-01T17:41:00.000-08:00

This photo was inspired by Dani's post on her Eco Footprint ~ South Africa blog about "off grid" appliances and kitchen tools. Check out her blog and that post here: http://ecofootprintsa.blogspot.com/2010/11/kitchen-implements.html

Dani, here is Mother's bakelite hand mixer. I love it and use it at The Home Place.

A Loo with a View

2010-11-29T16:05:00.000-08:00

During our eight days at The Home Place, David dug the post holes to build a temporary solar shower spot and place for the toilet. We decided to put it beside the future earthbag dome site so we can convert it to a permanent loo later. I put in the rock floor. The rocks look small in the photo, but they are quite substantial. We put up the blue tarps because deer gun season started and we thought the privacy would be the kinder way to treat the hunters. :-)

The View from the Loo is lovely.

We experimented with alternative methods for heating the shower water besides the solar shower bag and this worked really well - a 5 gallon water bottle spray painted black.

Another Trip to The Home Place

2010-11-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

We just got back from eight days at The Home Place where we started or finished several projects. It was great to go for that long. We've never stayed out at The Home Place for more than three or four days straight, and mostly, we have only done Friday evening to Sunday afternoon trips until last year when David started working mostly seven days a week, and then we just quit going because he didn't have any time off.

I'm excited to report that we started the earthbag house. I ordered bags but they didn't come in before we left. It worked out fine, though, since there was and still is much prep work to do before we start filling and laying down bags. I will post photos of the progress on the foundation/trench soon.

We had Thanksgiving turkey cooked in this solar oven that David and I built a couple of days before. We used scrap plywood that we had leftover from another project, a 30" x 30" piece of scratched plexiglass that David picked up at McCoy's for the bargain price of $3, cardboard, heavy duty foil, and black spray paint. The turkey was tender and juicy, and completely done all the way through. I had an oven thermometer that I left at The Home Place when we were testing the temperature in the old oven in the RV, so we used it to test the solar oven temperature. It averaged 225 degrees F. That's an 8-quart cast iron Dutch Oven inside the solar oven.

I also made flour-less/grain-free peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies. I sweetened them with molasses which made them dark brown. They were good!

My Dave:

What to do with Those Pesky Plastic Shopping Bags!

2010-11-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

But first...

Last weekend, we took a couple of days off, paired them with the weekend, and spent four days at The Home Place. It was a wonderful trip. The trip is what followed my Crappy Day posted here. Of course, I had no idea how prophetic that statement was at the top of that blog post. Yeah, nobody died that day, but a few days later....

Anyway, here's what made the crappy day. David went to work as usual that Tuesday morning last week. His boss had recently announced that he was taking a demotion so he could spend more time with his family. David had no idea when he went to work that day that within an hour after he arrived, he would be fired so his new boss's wife could have his job. When he stopped by my office to give me the shocking news, I lost it and left work. But David acted with tons of grace, which made it possible for me to pull myself back together. I went back to work after about an hour and went to my class. My kind boss let me take a couple of days vacation that Friday and Monday, and we made it a long weekend at The Home Place. It's exactly what we needed. We started the work of moving on and trying to see the good. It really did seem like the end of the world to me. And then Wendy died, and I had no choice but to put this all in perspective. Yeah, David lost his job, but there will be another (Lord, please send it soon!). Yeah, he was making great money but he hadn't had a day off in a very long time. Life's too short.

We are going back to The Home Place over the Thanksgiving break.

So, during our 4-day weekend...

I gathered a hoe, a shovel, a plastic container full of (what I hope is) clay, a 5 gallon bucket of sand, a sifter, a bottle of water, a step-stool, a wheelbarrow, and about 20 plastic bags. The goal? To experiment with the sand, (what I hope is) clay and water mixture to see if I can build a bench. If this mixture works, we can use dirt right from our place to build our earthbag house. David dug the sand and I dug the (hopefully) clay.

Then I selected a spot (by the firepit).

One by one, I filled shopping bags with a mixture of (what I hope is) clay/sand/water and stacked one on top of the other. I put about 70% sand with 30% (!!!) clay, dampened it with a little water, and filled each bag. Everytime I stacked a bag, I tamped it down flat with the hoe. When I accidentally made holes in the sacks, I just taped them up withclear packing tape (it's what I had on hand - any kind of tape could work). I filled in spaces with used ziploc bags filled with the mixture. I didn't worry about the outline-shape of the bags. I wanted to focusing on flattening the bags from the top. There's no time for beauty here, this is all about getting it done so the experiment can start.

After I finished filling, stacking, and tamping bags, I stuck duct tape in various spots over the bags. I chose duct tape (the cheapie kind!) because it has a little texture and I thought it would help plaster stick to them.

I made another mixture of (!!!) clay, sand, water, and chopped dead desert grasses. I used this to plaster over the bags. I didn't have time to make this pretty. This is just an experiment. I'll worry about aesthetics later. Also, I didn't put barbed wire in-between each course of bags because I wanted to save the wire for the bigger first project, an earthbag storeroom. Again, this is an experiment to see if the bag contents firm up and if the plaster will stay put.

Bench with duct tape and earth plaster in progress. The bag mixture is very firm and I think it has worked!

Still working on the plaster.

Finished bench that night by the fire pit. You can see where some of the plaster is drying to a lighter color.

The next morning, I got up and checked the bench. Yes, I know it's not very pretty, but this is for experimentation only. I'll watch it over the next few weeks to see how it holds up, but I used it for sitting the morning after. It was firm and while the plaster cracked a little, I think it will work. I've since read that adding more chopped grass will prevent cracks.

Here is the solar shower. That's a piece of plywood with a vinyl tablecloth stapled to it.

David and Pepper found this HUGE cactus growing out of the rocks during their hike. I worked on the rock patio while they hiked.

Pepper

Little Dog

Roxie, sitting on the step-stool.

Pretty Sky.

Nearby Puckett Mountain.

Velvet-tipped mimosa.

New favorite reading. (The Solar Living Source Book.)

Inside the trailer.

Spiderman still watching over the place.

Rest in Peace, Wendy.

2010-11-10T14:38:00.001-08:00

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/reporternews/obituary.aspx?n=wendy-ann-havner&pid=146531141&fhid=12860

Nobody Close to Me Died Today, but This Was A Crappy Day!

2010-11-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

It has been a day of one piece of bad news after another. I'll not write about the details (typically me, I'll write about them when I get to the other side). But, "nobody died and everybody's healthy." That's my mantra when things turn sour. And I'm surrounded by some very kind and loving people. Enough about that. Just count your blessings today and I'll do the same.

Jim & Kim Update!

2010-10-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

News travels very s-l-o-w-l-y around here, but I want to post this: Jim was 1st runner up (thank you, Wretha!) and Kim was 2nd runner up last weekend at the Homecoming game. It was a lot of fun to witness everyone rallying around these two non-traditional candidates. We were at The Home Place, so we missed the game.

Finished Earthbag Roundhouse

2010-10-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

This is what I want to make, friends! If you want to learn about making an earthbag house, too, go to the expert, Owen Geiger, Ph.D., at http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com or his YouTube channel Naturalhouses at http://www.youtube.com/user/naturalhouses . To see his Finished Earthbag Roundhouse, select the video of that same name. Lots of good stuff there. (Thanks Dizzy Dick for the update.)

Trip to The Home Place

2010-10-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

We had a chance to get out of town because David had the weekend off, which is a rare thing. We went to The Home Place and did a little work and a lot of relaxing. We haven't been out there since June because David has not had a weekend off in so long.

I love going out there during a full moon. It was so bright last night that we didn't use the solar lights at all.

Here are some photos:

I know when we reach "Discus Mountain" that we're close to our trailer. Here is "Discus Mountain" (not its real name).

Roxie checking out the nearby neighbor's hunting place.

View coming over the mountain:

Ram sees a deer. Can you see the deer in the photo? I barely caught it in the viewfinder before she ran away.

Old reliable. David's Ramcharger is a great truck.

Our neighbor (at home) got a new canopy for his RV, so we took the old one out to The Home Place. David had the idea to put it over the roof of the sotol/yucca stalk porch. (It's folded in half horizontally. We'll finish the installation during the next trip and it will cover the door, too.) It made nice shade. That's a white triangular-shaped Ikea sunbrella canopy that we use on camping trips. We hung it on the side to create more shade.

Here is a closer view of the porch. Spiderman (hanging by a rope near the upper left corner) watches over the place all the time.

I like to collect rocks. Not the usual kind. I want the ones that make good rock patios. More work on the patio during the next visit.

This is Mama Crawford's (my grandmother) table. Her mother had it. My mother had it. I've been hauling it around in pieces (every time I move to a new place) for over a decade. I decided to take it to The Home Place and try to assemble it.

I can't believe all the parts were there! A little glue, a few rogue screws and washers, and it's assembled. We replaced the old round table in the trailer with this one. After I cleaned and polished it (no photo, sorry), it looked pretty good!

While putting the table together, I heard this guy coming around the bend. I grabbed the camera and zoomed in to take this photo. A motocross club was racing around the ranch. Lots of people on the ranch protest this activity. I have no problem with it. I bet it was fun.

A percolator and a thermos. This is a great pair. This percolator is a reminder of what can be. It was the first of many manifestations that happened a couple of years ago. It's a long story. I'll explain later.

Roxie napped while I put the table together.

Taking a hike with Little Dog and Pepper.

View out the back of the trailer:

The desert is still in bloom:

Going home. Here's an abandoned hunt cabin on the way out:

We had company on the way home. Look what David found in his jacket after we got home. (Sorry it's so blurry!)

We had a lovely time. I can't wait to go back again.

Jim & Kim Update!

2010-10-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

They're in the finals! After the first round of voting, Kim and Jim made it to the finals. Voting ends soon. Homecoming is this weekend. We'll soon know if they are Homecoming King and Homecoming Queen. Keep your fingers crossed!

Old Favorite Fall Dinner

2010-10-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have to limit sweet potato consumption (potatoes have been off limits for months, and I still can't eat other varieties). Regardless, this is one of my favorite meals in the fall. The baby pan pumpkins and sweet potato were locally and organically grown by Mark The Dirt Farmer, as were most of the vegetables in the soup. (Ditto the butternut squash and pepper in the background.) So good!

This is Sweet (at least part of it is)

2010-10-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I wrote a post about Tiffany Hartley and her late husband, David, the man who was killed recently while jet skiing on Falcon Lake, and then I didn't post it. I haven't been to Falcon in years, but I have been there a few times. The happenings there are sad and I feel much sympathy for Tiffany and family. But I'm frustrated with this couple's actions. There are and were warnings on that lake about crossing over into Mexican waters, and because they are adventurous (Tiffany's word), they decided to ignore the warnings and jetski over there anyway. I am tired of people who go on adventures and then need to be rescued, putting other people's lives, including the rescuers, in danger. Like the investigator who was beheaded. Yesterday, David visited with a western author who spent a few days at the RV park putting the finishing touches on a new book. The author's opinion is that the story doesn't ring true, that possibly the Hartleys were involved in a drug deal gone bad. I don't know what to think.

Now, here is a heartwarming story. It's Homecoming time on university campuses across the nation, including the one where I go. This means it's time to elect a Homecoming King and Homecoming Queen. This year, I have been inspired by two non-traditional (a nice way of saying older, I refer to myself as very non-traditional) students who are running for King and Queen. Kim, a lovely and vivacious student in the Honors Program, is running with Tim, a distinguished-looking intelligent fella, also in the Honors Program. Kim and Jim were in a class together a few semesters ago. During that class, Kim shared with Jim that she is a cancer survivor. They enjoyed each other's company during the span of the class, and then went their separate ways. Last year, at the Relay for Life, Jim and Kim ran into each other. They caught up on their lives' current events, and agreed to keep in touch. A few days later, Jim learned that he, too, has cancer. Kim came to his rescue. Chemotherapy and all that is cancer has been hard on Jim, both physically and emotionally. Kim knew she needed a plan to help her friend, so she suggested that they seek nominations to the Homecoming Court. Elections are closing tonight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these two non-trads are winners on the field during the Homecoming Game halftime. Go Kim and Jim!

Kim Jim

Starlight Theater

2010-09-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

In the Alpine Avalanche today...
"Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a MIXED BEVERAGE PERMIT, by BILL C. IVEY. dba, STARLIGHT THEATER, to be located at 631 IVEY DRIVE, TERLINGUA, BREWSTER COUNTY, TEXAS. Officers of said corporation are BILL C. IVEY."

Taste the Rainbow

2010-09-21T20:31:00.001-07:00

Top Ten or... Cliche' Question of the Week

2010-09-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

I hope you post a comment with your list!

If you were stranded on an island, or, maybe make this more authentic, on a desert mountain-top, what music would you have with you? Given that you've had a chance to pore over your CD collection and take them with you on the voyage that made you crash into the island (or mountain top), everybody else died, you happen to have a CD player with an endless supply of batteries... Oh, and you don't own an Ipod or Zune or some kind of music player that has two thousand pre-loaded songs...

I'll start, in alphabetical order:
Citizen Cope "Citizen Cope"
Elton John "Yellow Brick Road"
Eric Clapton "Pilgrim"
Iron and Wine "Our Endless Numbered Days"
Jonny Lang "Wander this World"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Greatest Hits"
Steve Forbert "The American in Me"
Thomas Newman score from "The Horse Whisperer"
Tom Petty "Wildflowers"
Vaughan Brothers "Family Syle"
Of course, someone would have left behind a great collection of Beatles, Patsy Cline, Eddy Arnold, and Alice in Chains.

An update on the Walking Stick... She was still perched on my car mirror at the end of the work day. She rode all the way home with me. I got shots of her all over town. She REALLY likes seeing herself in the mirror.

Here is one shot of Lady Phasmida on the ride home. I can't believe she hung on all the way home.

Lessons I Learned from Earl the Pearl

2010-09-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

I've had a few email inquiries about Earl the Pearl. Earl the Pearl was my first best friend's father. Earl was married to Jimmie Sue. They had two daughters. Maybe you can guess their names, but I'll help you out: Earleen and Sueleen. Sueleen was my friend. We lose touch for years at a time and when we find each other again, the years melt away quickly. Earl was a native Texan and a tough man: drank, smoked, gambled, collected cars and coins and anything unusual he found, including novelties like fake dog pooh, whoopie cushions, and chewing gum that looked and tasted normal but turned your teeth black. Earl loved dogs. True to his toughness, he had a standard poodle named Jacqueline. When he called to her, it sounded like he was saying "Shocklean" with emphasis on the "lean." Earl wore custom made boots and tailored pearl-snap shirts. He wore a dress cowboy hat, even in the summer. He was an example of living for the moment. He made a lot of money, but unfortunately, didn't put much of it away, so Jimmie Sue struggled in the later years after he died from heart disease. Jimmie Sue died in a nursing home in Ohio just before the 9/11 attacks. Her funeral was in Texas. The family intended to fly her body from Ohio to Texas, but Jimmie Sue's flight was grounded because of the terrorist activity and she missed her own funeral. We've laughed about this, even in the tragedies of that time period.

These are the lessons I learned from Earl the Pearl:

1. Never trust a bank. Stash your money in your cedar chest.
2. Never trust the IRS. Refer to item #1.
3. Custom made boots are a necessity. Who needs electricity?
4. Don't gamble when you're really drunk.
5. It's impossible to fold a piece of dried-out white bread over link sausage, especially when you're drunk.
6. When pulling your boat behind your motorhome, don't forget to lock down the boat's trailer and attach the chains.
7. A boat on a trailer doesn't have brakes. The boat WILL RUN the red light after you've stopped the motorhome.
8. If you see your boat and trailer passing you at an intersection, there is something wrong.
9. If your boat runs a red light, you better sober up quickly. Law enforcement will flock to the scene.
10. You can love poodles and still be tough.
11. Being a wholesale car dealer means you and yours get to drive really cool cars.
12. Your teenage daughter's Mustang needs a governor to slow it down.
13. You will run into your daughter and her friends in the strangest places, like at a Dairy Queen in Tilden, Texas, on a day when they all skipped school together.
14. Lime Green is a good color for your daughter's Mustang. You can spot it from miles away, even at a Dairy Queen in Tilden, Texas, while you're on your way to a car auction.
15. Suicide doors are called that for good reason.
16. An unattended cigar will start an accidental fire.
17. It's almost impossible to start a fire intentionally, especially when you're hungry. And drunk.
18. When your boat's steering cable breaks while you're going full speed on the lake, the boat will spin in circles and your glasses will fall into the lake.
19. Boots do not grip the wet floor of a spinning boat. You will fall into the lake.
20. It's hard to swim in boots, jeans, and long-sleeved pearl-snap shirts. Especially when you're drunk.
21. Expensive cowboy hats and water don't mix.
22. When your boat is out of control on the lake, you better sober up quickly. The park service will flock to the scene.
23. It takes a long time for a boat to run out of gas.
24. A firecracker with a really short fuse will pop in your hand.
25. It's wise to buy your mother-in-law a house. Otherwise, she'll be a permanent guest in the extra bedroom.
26. When buying a house for your mother-in-law, spend the extra money for a nice one. Otherwise, you'll spend your time off doing repairs.
27. A lot of life's problems can be managed with laughter and unconditional love.
28. You're lucky when you find someone who loves you unconditionally.

Walking Stick

2010-09-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Walking Stick on the Run

A walking stick
bucked the system.
Hitched a ride
on my mirror.
“I’ve places to go
And people to see,”
she mumbled to no one in particular.

“I’m Ctenomorphodes chronus,

I’m no stick,”

she said with a click of her tongue.

“You’d be wise if you

learned more about me.

I’m native Australian

And I’m far from my homeland.”

"See that dome over there?
That’s where I’ll share
The journey I’ve taken thus far
To return to my roots.
Those professors in suits
have my boyfriend in a jar."

“We’ve planned our escape.
There’s a rocket in there.
I’ve heard talk of it on occasion.
Just point us to the rearview mirror.”
she said to no one in particular.

Time for Some Lighter Fare

2010-09-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

In spite of the custody battle, I'm upbeat and hopeful about the whole thing. And life in general. I tend to be a bit on the downside these days. I am coming to terms with my somewhat recent "glass half empty" attitude. I am a former "YIPPEE! LIFE IS GRAND!" believer, but a couple of decades of being in the wrong place at the wrong time on occasion have tempered my enthusiasm. I actually like this state of mind much better. I'm no longer manic. (I don't mean manic as in the DIAGNOSIS kind. I just mean my friends thought I was a little too "happy happy joy joy" and didn't feel my stuff authentically.) I'm much more even these days. Which, like I said in a comment on the previous post, feels kind of like faith. (To those who have either posted a comment or thought about me in the midst of this, please accept my humble gratitude.)

That brings me to this message. I have always wanted to sail. I've always wanted a sailboat, one of those 22 or 23' boats with a small cabin below decks. My dream of living small started out as dreaming of living on a sailboat. (Something bigger than 23', though, but not much.) An old best friend, Cherry, ignited this dream for me. I haven't talked to her in years, and frequently wonder if she's still among us. (She is 20+ years old than I, which, if you're doing the math, makes her 70ish. She smoked heavily. I hope she's still sailing about the Gulf Coast of Texas.) Life happened, and my dream of a sailboat was put on the back burner. And later, when the living small dream re-emerged, David wanted the desert, and truth be told, I did, too, so we are going for the desert dream and I'm happy with that.

But lately, I've been looking at things GEOGRAPHICALLY. We are only 200 miles from a large beautiful lake. Could it be that I could have my dream of sailing on occasion mixed with some time in the desert? And keep working for the next few years to save for future freedom and finish school, too? Could it be? One of the reasons that we looked at the desert around Terlingua and bought property there was because life was beating us up so badly, we felt a tremendous need to escape. Now that things are stable again, I don't feel the need to escape. That doesn't change my love for The Home Place one bit. I can still see us retiring there, living off grid in a comfortable earthbag house, but I don't feel the time crunch to get it done in such a hurry now. I have a job I love (yes, it ends in a mere 24 days but I'm hopeful that I will get to keep working for my boss in another department or under another federal grant). In spite of my below-poverty-level pay, I do love my current situation.

So now I can relax and dream a little about the future instead of dreading it or feeling regret that I didn't do things differently in the past. That's one of my favorite things about the internet. I can peruse sailboats (and motorcycles, too) on Ebay or Craigslist and dream a little (or a lot). And speaking of dreams, it has been almost a year since we moved into the motorhome. I love it today as much as I did on the first day. The motorhome will be paid for in a mere six months. Knocking on wood, but things are looking up, even with the custody battle and a hearing next Monday.

Changes, part 209

2010-09-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Where to start...

When something bad happens, the petty stuff just flies out the window. We finally (FINALLY) finished getting rid of almost everything, and yet my storeroom is packed full of stuff. How, you ask? Or maybe your question is why? Well, here goes.

My three daughters moved here about eight or nine months after we did, (you know, they came to visit, the magnetic pull of this area sucked them in, they came to stay). Daughter #2, who is in graduate school - she's a psychology major and will be pursuing a Ph.D. - decided to move over the summer. She transfered out to a research-based university, instead of the clinical university setting she was in here. She lost a few hours and has to jump through some hoops, but all is well with her. Daughters #1 and #3 decided to follow her to her new place. (They all shared a big house here, along with my three-year-old-grandson. Their lease ended on September 1.) This big move is what prompted all the selling and give-away activity. I figured if they were planning a yard sale, I might as well throw some stuff in, and while I'm at it, why not just get rid of almost everything I really don't need. So I called my siblings and, of the group, my sister came to get most of our late Mother's things that I had been storing for two-and-a-half years. She couldn't take everything with her, so - you guessed it - I'm storing the rest of the items until my sister comes back in October to get them.

So, if you're still following along, you know that Daughter #2 already moved (to Corpus Christi) and Daughters #1 and #3 were still here but planning to move at the end of their lease. (It's hard to find affordable housing here. And the mentality of most landlords is that they won't rent to college students.) Daughter #1 and #3 had already withdrawn from the university here, and Daughter #1, who worked full time in the Biology department, had already given notice. Aside from the sadness about everybody moving at once, everything was rocking along. All was going as planned. Then Daughter #1 went to pickup my grandson from his summer visitation with his father. Unfortunately, the father didn't show at the appointed time. He later made contact with her (before going into hiding, turning off his house and cell phones so she couldn't reach him or the baby) that he wasn't returning their son. They are now in a custody battle. My daughter now has her son, but since her established residency is here, she is in limbo until this is over. She is staying with relatives in another town. Through all of this, Daughter #3 decided to stay and finish school here. I'm thrilled she's here, but the anguish that accompanies the battle over my grandson has overshadowed everything.

I mourned my stupid possessions. I wrote a poem about the dining table that I struggled to get rid of, and in the end, my sister is taking it to another family member, so I'm glad it's staying in the family. Silly, isn't it? Also, when Daughter #3 decided to stay, she had to setup housekeeping again. She found the cutest little efficiency that is nicely priced with all bills paid. But she had to go out and purchase a few things that she had given away just the week before. We are still storing the things that we gave to the guy who needed a helping hand, and I hope that stuff is out of our storeroom by the end of this weekend. When everything happened with my grandson and Daughter #1's move got put on hold, her remaining things needed a place to go, so they are in my storeroom.

Know this: life has a way of letting me (you) know what's important. Things don't mean a whit when my (your) children are hurting. I knew my own past pain was bad enough, but when my child - even though she's grown and long ago on her own - is going through this, multiply that pain by one thousand. I've never hurt so much as when I watched my daughter cry over her son and wonder if he was ok and when she would see him again. And when she got him back, I hurt so much for the baby's father and his side of the family. And then I found out that they got a restraining order against my daughter that said she could not see her son, and the lies they told in order to get the order. Fortunately, the order was never finalized.

My possessions - the few I still have and those that I purged - don't mean a whit. We are fine and remarkably upbeat. I still hurt for the baby's father and his family, even though they did some unspeakable things. Daughter #1 has a good lawyer and lots of emotional support, and hopefully, this will be over soon and all will be well again. My highest hope is that, in the end, they can figure out how to share custody of their precious son.

All Gone... Vanished, Kaput, Poof!

2010-08-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

The sale is over and everything is gone! Well, almost everything... we still have some Avaya phones and equipment that David had left after he closed his business (to be posted on Ebay or somewhere similar in a few days), our camping gear which we will squeeze into the motorhome's basements, a small assortment of tools + some items we are taking to The Home Place on our next trip.

We weren't quite ready when the customers arrived this morning an hour or so before our opening time. We kept the gates locked until a few minutes before 8am. (We had the sale at the girls' house and they have a fenced front yard.) It was crazy! All the furniture except a couple of small pieces sold within 15 minutes after we opened the gates. We held back our sofa, a TV, some bedroom furniture + a bed, and all required wares to give to a young friend, a guy who's starting completely from scratch with nothing but clothes, to help establish his first place. He's a great guy who just deserves a break. The better clothes went to a local thrift store that benefits the local crisis center, and we gave everything else that hadn't sold by 3pm to a disabled guy in town who really needs to pickup some extra cash from his own sale. Everything was priced to move very quickly. Even so, our net was $770, of which we kept $40 to celebrate with a family cookout tomorrow night. The remainder was split between Daughter #1 and Daughter #3.

It was a lot of work and couldn't have been done without family cooperation. I can't believe it's done! The stuff is gone. It feels great and I feel free, just like everyone who has already done this before promised I would feel.

Pressing Though the Stuff Sorting!

2010-08-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

I wish I had the one and only photo that Tessa (daughter #3) took of the storeroom about an hour after we started sorting, but it's in her phone. Will post later... The sorting and culling is getting easier. There's even a little fun in it. These are the lessons I've learned over two days of opening boxes, sorting by keep, sell, donate, freecycle, trash, and preparing for the sale:

1. It's hot inside the storeroom at high noon. (Duh! Please don't leave my blog yet.)
2. Facing a huge pile of boxes and plastic bags and furniture, weight machines, etc., is daunting and overwhelming. You need a Neutral Buddy to be there for moral support and to help keep you on track.
3. That Neutral Buddy is NOT your husband or wife or significant other... unless you're ready to end the relationship. Four hours in a hot storeroom sorting your life's possessions with your significant other = demise of the relationship. If you're ready to end your relationship, I suggest this method. It's powerful and effective.
4. You Neutral Buddy needs to be..., well, neutral. You will be looking at your stuff through rose-colored glasses and recalling all the memories wrapped up in the item. You are incapable of seeing how shabby, forlorn, and outdated it truly is. I suggest you round up a college student, like my daughter, Tessa. She has no baggage related to creating a life with stuff. The world is her oyster and possessions are simply a hindrance to her freedom to travel, explore, and experience new things. Her mantra, when I'm contemplating a particular item that I'm convinced I might need someday is, "Mom, you don't NEED this. How does this fit into the life you want to create? It doesn't. And besides that, it's UGLY." Or, "Mom, you can't go well into the next phase of your life if you're crowding it with baggage."
5. At the risk of redundance, let me remind you that if you want to stay married, send your spouse away on a fishing trip or a spa retreat or something. Just get him or her out of town. Trust me, it will save the relationship, or from spending the rest of your life in prison because you hid your beloved's body in the heap of castoffs.
6. Just get started. Within the sorting of each box and bag, when floor space becomes visible, there is courage to go forward and a huge sense of accomplishment. It's like magic.
7. Press on. At some indefinable point, there is insanity and sorting actually becomes fun. Tessa and I have laughed until our sides hurt over some of the stuff we've uncovered, including Daughter #2, Jamie's book of poetry that she created when she was 7 or 8, photos of past family trips, photos of me with mall bangs (puh-lease), and fashion. Oh, the fashion statements. We've cried some, too, over letters and cards from deceased loved ones. Tessa always reminds me that we have the memory and no longer need the card or letter.
8. Give yourself permission to cry. See #7.
9. My deceased loved ones do not reside in their things.
10. Your sister will say she's coming to help you. Don't be fooled. She'll hang out in the air conditioned hotel room watching TV and eating Bon Bons.
11. Your sister is not a Neutral Buddy. She wants you to keep living the encumbered life you are living because it's her life, too. Send your sister on the fishing trip or spa retreat with your significant other.
12. Many experts say start early, like a year or at least several months before you plan to move or make your big life change. I completely disagree. Take a week of vacation and just do it. The momentum you get from sorting one box after another is priceless. Trust me, you, too, will become brutal. You will be giving away or selling your most prized possessions by the end of the week and thrilled that it's going to someone who will actually get some use out of it, maybe even treasure it.
13. Leave stuff outside your storeroom that you want to get rid of. Be sure to put a sign on it that says "Please don't take me. My owner will be back in a few minutes." It will be gone within the hour. It even worked to get rid of a super-dilapidated gas grill that was stripped like a Cadillac parked overnight in the ghetto.
14. You can recreate all this stuff within 6 months if you want. Really. There will be another poor soul who's downsizing, paring down, culling, becoming free who will gladly give it to you.
15. I now have enough experience to be your Neutral Buddy. Email me!

Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement to just do it.

Stuff... It's Just Stuff... I Need Help!

2010-08-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

We - David, my daughters, and I - are about to have a big yard sale. We are really doing it - getting rid of the stuff. David and I pared down a lot before we moved from the city. But we came with a way-too-big load of possessions anyway, including all the stuff that was left from my Mom after she died... the stuff that my siblings said they would come and help me sort through. (They haven't. It has been either in my home or in storage for two and half years now. It's time.) Help me, dear followers, deal with this, please? When we moved into the motorhome, we separated our stuff into two sections - one to keep for our future earthbag house at The Home Place and another to sell or give away. But the earthbag house is not done and won't be for a long time, and I want to kill our storeroom completely. I want all of it gone. Now, my daughters' lease on their big house is up and they are ready to get rid of everything, too.

All the stuff feels like such a burden. And consider that I've spent almost $1600 to store it. I've freecycled and given away lots of things already. A fellow freecycler, who turned out to be someone I know and like a lot, asked for dining room chairs. I ended up giving her a dining table with a big built-in leaf, 6 dining chairs, and our almost new washing machine. She met me at the storeroom to get the chairs, and a little voice nudged me to ask her if she needed a washing machine. (I had plans to sell it.) The table was the next thing. It felt good. She has a baby and needs a good washer. She needs a table to raise her family around, to play games on, to gather around for Thanksgiving dinner.

I watched my best friend, Kristan, do this a year ago. She was brutal! And inspirational. Nothing was sacred. She sold a few things, and then gave away the bulk of her possessions to others who needed them. She loaded a few remaining things in the smallest U-haul truck available, filled the empty space with boxes, and drove to Los Angeles, towing her little Volkswagen Beetle on a trailer. I am channeling her can-do-it energy now. But then I think about another dining set in my storeroom - a big dining room table, eight chairs, and beautifully crafted sideboard. I think about the china that I store in that sideboard, the china that only gets used once a year at the most. I'm the third generation to own that dining set. Bible verses are scrawled on the bottom of each chair. Those verses were written by hand from one generation to the next. This dining set and lots of other "valuable" stuff sit in my storeroom wasting away. (Remember, I live in a motorhome and don't plan to return to a traditional house for a long time.) I think about my mother's cedar chest full of trinkets and letters and photos and my grandfather's wire rimmed glasses and my father's wallet with everything that he carried still in it and his first fiction manuscript that he typed on a manual typewriter and my mother's wedding dress - not the traditional white dress, but a beautiful navy blue number. And then I resign myself to having a storeroom for another month, another year, because for some ridiculous reason, I am very sentimental and can't seem to let go of the things that trigger the memories.

Help my sentimental side tell my logical side that things are not memories, that the memories can never be taken away as the things rot, break, or get sold to the highest bidder. The sale is next Saturday, August 14. I'm thinking I'll take all the stuff from the storeroom to the girls' house, and instead of putting everything in the front yard and on the driveway, we'll just open the house to all who come. I'm taking a couple of days vacation to get this knocked out. David and Daughter #1 and Daughter #3 will help. Daughter #2 moved to Corpus Christi and will finish graduate school at the Texas A&M campus there. Daughters #1 and #3 and my grandson plan to follow her soon. This is an emotional time as my "nest" is getting emptied again (although my daughters and grandson don't live with me, and why it is so hard anyway since I went through this already when they left to go to college), but I am determined to press forward with a lot of moral support from my friends. I am determined to remember that my daughters and grandson are going to the place where they should be for now. Thank you.

Not This, But That

2010-07-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

My friends know that I have two dogs, Roxie and Pepper.

Roxie & Darien

Roxie is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Pepper is a Lab/Blue Heeler mix. We switched them from commercial dog food to the carnivore-friendly Raw Meaty Bones diet a couple of years ago. Before you jump me about feeding my dogs raw meaty bones, RAW bones do not splinter. COOKED bones (chicken bones, especially) do.

Pepper

My dogs have done incredibly well on this diet and I am amazed at how young ten-year-old Pepper acts since we switched. And their teeth are clean and white. The reasons for switching were many.

Anyway, I've always used spot-on flea/tick treatments on them, like Advantage or Frontline and occasionally, the cheaper (non-waterproof) Biospot. My oldest daughter worked at a vet clinic and warned me a few years ago (she doesn't work there anymore) that they were seeing a few dogs come in with complications, including seizures, after an application of spot-on treatment. I've never had a problem with any of these treatments, but for some reason, I got worried and quit using spot-on treatments. I mean, they are pesticides that sit on the skin for 30 days at a time. It seems very harsh. I ordered some Flea Free and food-grade Diamatceous Earth from http://www.wolfcreekranch.net/ and I've just begun the Flea Free this morning on the dogs. Flea Free is a liquid that is added to dogs' drinking water. It contains vinegar and garlic and other seasonings. Although we haven't seen any fleas or ticks, the rainy season is upon us, and I want to get ahead of the problem. I'll post an update soon.

You Must Check Out This DIY Covered Wagon

2010-07-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

To catch details of an innovative couples’ road trip in a DIY ultra lightweight covered wagon, go here: http://www.whittleddown.com/.

To see a photo tour of their wagon and get some great ideas for living large in a teeny space, look here: http://www.whittleddown.com/2010/07/grand-tour.html. Super cool!

Digdugdiggy's Review (Assembly) of Harbor Freight's 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit

2010-07-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Digdugdiggy (aka Anonymous commenter on 7-19-10 on my old post here) has a Youtube video showing the assembly of the Harbor Freight 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit. Check it out! You will recognize the first half background music as Raymond Scott's Powerhouse, probably familiar to most from the old Acme days on Bugs Bunny/Wile E Coyote cartoons by Warner Brothers. This tune made one of many comebacks in the movie Pee Wee's Big Adventure. But I digress. Click here to watch the video.

Rush and A Man And a Turtle

2010-07-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

I watched a bit of a Rush concert recently, and stumbled into it again today. I am amazed by how good they are and were, today and back then. I was a fan back in the day. Not a "wait in line all night" kind of fan, but I had some of their music in my collection. In 2007, Snakes and Arrows was released, and the concert I saw was a showcase of some of those songs paired with their old classics. It's worth watching if you can find it somewhere online. Geddy Lee's voice is still pure, unique, and instantly recognizable.

As I was driving in to work last Monday, I saw that, in the distance, there was a gold Ford Explorer parked on the shoulder. We usually stop and help folks around here. I winced a little as I looked ahead because I was already a few minutes late for work. (We've missed or been late to a lot of activities because we've stopped to help others. Others have done the same for us, too.) As I got close enough to see, I realized that the gold Explorer driver was an older man running down the highway toward me. As I got even closer, I saw his destination... a turtle in the middle of the road. Gold Explorer driver waved me off as he scooped up the turtle and placed him in the grass on the side of the road. (For the turtle's sake, I sure hope he put him in the right direction.) I was glad that gold Explorer driver didn't need help and relieved that he helped the turtle avoid injury or death. Thank you, gold Exlorer driver. A few friends know that it was a devastatingly-injured turtle who helped me leave an abusive relationship many years ago. I thought that if that injured turtle, with his broken and bloody back legs and cracked shell, could still exert the effort to get to the other side of a busy highway, if he didn't give up, surely I could get out of the abuse. And I did. Thank you, injured turtle.

A Senior Sophomore and Blogs I Love

2010-07-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

I ask you, "Could you be a 50-year-old sophomore?" I lost 41 hours when my university from the early college days changed to a Texas A&M University system campus. I've tried, really I have, to find them, to get them back, but I finally gave up. I am now re-taking classes that I've already taken before. No bitterness. It just is. I have a long way to go chipping away at this 6 hours here, 3 hours there, 9 hours sometimes.

My Blogs I Love list was truncated somehow in the redesign process. Working on rebuilding it... Missing some of my favorites... Busy with school. I have a test every single day until August 6. Some are quizzes, some are full-blown comprehensive/essay-based exams. All involves lots of history, dates, and timelines. I love history. Unforunately, I can't remember dates, times, places, and name. So, I'll be back sometime soon - in a while.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

A Makeover

2010-07-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't cut my hair, except for the occasional trim and reshaping, for a few years. I can't get any taller. I have lost 23 pounds, but that's been sort of unintentional (although I like it, thank you). I need a change, so I decided to revamp the appearance of my blog. I hope you like it. If you don't, I probably won't change it. At least for a while.

Harbor Freight Solar Panels on Sale + 20% Off Coupon

2010-06-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! Quickie post here. I'm in the university library putting the finishing touches on my latest story and saw that Renewable Ray contributed this comment on my old post about Harbor Freight solar panels. His comment is timely and valuable. Want the coupon? Click on the link below for access to a great discussion forum and click here for the coupon and specials. And while you're at it, check out that website.

Renewable Ray has left a new comment on your post "Harbor Freight's solar panel kit":

"Love these kits, before you even start messing around with them check out the Harbor Freight 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit Community Forum @ http://solarpanelkitatharborfreight.ning.com/ Great bunch of folks over there that will give you all the pros and cons of their experience with the kit. $149 coupon posted right now."

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

2010-06-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the long absence from the blog-o-sphere. I am in summer school. My major is English with Writing Emphasis and minor in Education. I have been busy writing for my Advanced Composition class, which is a long semester crammed into four weeks. This is non-fiction and the hardest for me, but the most enjoyable. The professor is amazing. She is a multi-published author and an editor, so when she gives an A+, it's like getting a Pulitzer Prize. There is much to report later, including a trip to The Home Place. I will catch up on my favorite blog reading the weekend of July 4. Now, I'm back to editing my next story for Adv Comp!

New Favorite

2010-06-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

No alcohol allowed these days.

Abby's in Distress

2010-06-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/06/10/2010-06-10_abby_sunderland_16yearold_california_girl_trying_to_sail_solo_around_world_feare.html

http://soloround.blogspot.com/

Wonder Wash Revisited

2010-06-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

So I woke up feeling pretty good today, which is always good on a day off, and I decided to knock out some chores that included putting the Wonder Wash through another round. I've used it a few times since my initial report on the blog, but this time, I threw in 7 shirts, a pair of capri pants, and a summer-weight sweater, and filled it up with warm water and about 2 tablespoons of detergent. I cranked it as usual - 100 times. It was actually easier to crank with it being so full, which surprised me. After that, I did a small load of tea towels. The washer did a great job and I feel good about conserving resources by doing laundry this way.

I took this photo of my "clothesline" through the screen door of the motorhome. It's not really a clothesline, but instead, a rack that goes across the back seat of a car (you know the kind, it's for hanging lots of clothes across the back seat of a car) and a round collapsible thingie with attached clothespins that Mom used when she still lived alone in her apartment. The clothes rack is attached to two tree limbs with a couple of S-hooks. (I found them on the ground when we moved here.) The collapsible thingie has a coat hanger-type hook on it. It's so dry out today that the clothes should be done soon.

Edit: Less than a half hour after I posted this, the clouds, thunder, and lightning moved in. I believe this is the best thing about using the flexible clothing rod... it's portable and moves inside very easily when it rains.

Biodegradable Bamboo Planters

2010-06-03T21:10:00.000-07:00

Check out these biodegradable bamboo planters that my daughter suggested. I got them at the local "department" store.

The Irish Mafia Takes a Hike

2010-05-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

David and his five brothers live in various parts of Texas. The used to get together for a road trip or similar activity, but in the 12 years that I've known David, they haven't done a thing. So in late 2009, David pinned everybody down to come out. They got together on April 8, 2010, for a few days. They went to The Home Place to camp, chill, and hike. They are all "city" boys and while some of them hunt and camp, it was fun to introduce them to the Humanure Toilet, water hauling, no electricity, and cooking outdoors. Here's an abbreviated account in pictures:

Setting up camp the first night:

Breakfast:

Ready for the first hike (Mike, Pat, Danny, Shawn, Mark):

Starting the hike:

Rock crawling during the hike:

End of the hike:

Dinner:

This is what happens when you don't shower for 3 days (Mark, Mike, Pat, Shawn, David, and Pepper):

Relaxing:

What Will I Eat?

2010-05-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

So I've been following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)... mostly... to try to heal my gut. I'm mentally ready to put at least a year into this endeavor. I've been having on-and-off problems for years, and it has escalated greatly in the last few months, so it's either this or steriods. I won't do steroids.

I started SCD on 4/23/10, and I was doing so much better eating meat, aged cheese, yogurt, vegetables, berries, and honey, all while reading labels like a crazy person to make sure there were no "illegal" ingredients. The small, but very important, part of the diet I wasn't following was only eating homemade yogurt that has been fermented for 24 to 29 hours. Storebought yogurt is only fermented for about 4 hours and it contains lactose, which I cannot have because it feeds the bad gut stuff. (I knew I shouldn't have the storebought, but I didn't know why. Now I know.)

About 10 days ago, like I said, I was doing pretty well. Then, I totally screwed up and ate some breaded chicken, knowing full well that I can't have the breaded coating (contains flour and I can't have it or any other types of grains), and I have been in major-setback mode since. I can't seem to get things back under control. And I think it's probably because I've been eating storebought yogurt. Yeah, it's organic and expensive and all that, but I guess it's not going to do. So I'm making yogurt.

I'm so tired of this crap. (Literally!) Lots of people who have Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis or Celiac or intestinal parasites or whatever gut disease get better very slowly and later thrive on this diet. I was in denial, thinking that I probably didn't really have anything major (especially while I was feeling better just before I ate the breading), but now I'm ready to commit fully.

I'm lucky that I've gotten through the die-off period. Die-off is the time when your body screams, pleads, begs, DEMANDS anything containing sugar, rice, bread, flour, GRAVY or any kind of dipping sauce, ketchup, RANCH DRESSING, or it (your gut) will KILL SOMEONE using the hand that happens to be attached to the body housing the gut. It was worse than another detox I did years ago (which shall remain a secret).

I want my life back, friends! I plan to get it back soon. No steriods. They don't work very well for this problem anyway. Always in the back of my mind is the realization that if I can't whip this, there will be even more struggles trying to live off grid later. I can't have anything in a package, box or can (except pineapple in real juice later on when I'm better), and I can't imagine having enough energy to power a fridge and make 24-hour yogurt.

Makin' Yogurt

2010-05-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

A Response To Dizzy Dick...

2010-05-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Dizzy Dick asked some questions about our motorhome setup, and here is my response to him based on his comment on the previous post... I posted my response in the comments section, too, but thought it would make a good blog post, so here it is:

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Dizzy Dick, First off, let me apologize for the length of this comment. Notable, too, is when I reference RV, I'm talking about our vintage fifth wheel at The Home Place. The motorhome is where we live in an RV park near the "big" town.

I wish you the best with your cataract surgery! My late mom had success with hers (although she later had unrelated vision loss) and my father-in-law is doing very well after his recent surgery.

I have traveled many of the Terlingua Ranch roads and you are right that getting a motorhome through that terrain could be very tough or even impossible. You absolutely must visit any place that you are considering in person. Even then, road conditions can change because of the heavy rains we get during the rainy season. With that said, I'm glad I didn't listen to others who told me that very same thing, because we (and our dear friend, Gary with special help from our other dear friend, Larry) towed our vintage RV (with its rotten and God-only-knows how old tires) out to The Home Place, and for now, it's the focal point of our shangri-la. (Remember, the RV at The Home Place is NOT our motorhome.) We stay in the RV a lot and will use it as a home base as we build everything we need and want out there to prepare for the future. It was a crazy adventure hauling the RV out there. It was at the end of August 2008, smack in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert rainy season, and the roads were not in great shape. But we made it! Not without some trouble which included huge rocks that had washed onto the road and we had to move out of the way, and getting stuck high-center in the middle of a large dip in the road. I would not subject a motorhome to that! But, Gary's old diesel pickup powered by vegetable oil and the old fifth wheel made it in the end, with a big boost from Larry's 4x4 Tahoe, and we are so grateful to both of them for all they did to help us. I believe, DD, that this is the key to making it all come together - help from new and sometimes old friends. I'm willing to pay it forward by helping you with whatever I can.

To answer your question about a realtor... I have to disclose first that I was a real estate agent. With that said, if I were doing this again, I would stick to a "local" realtor who actually visits and photographs the parcels that they have for sale. That would be West Texas Realty in Alpine, Texas (www.westtxrealty.com). A lot of companies on the internet post general photos of the ranch, and no one from the company has ever visited, so they know nothing of road conditions or anything else out there. Regarding West Texas Realty, I've never used their services nor do I have anything to do with them, but others I know have closed deals with them and have been very satisfied. They clearly mark the boundaries of each tract they have for sale. (Double check with them about whether they are using surveys or GPS coordinates.)

However, you can make your own deals without a realtor if you choose. If you decide to do that, you can call the Terlingua Ranch Property Owners office (look at www.poatri.org for contact info) and talk to them about it.

So, my suggestion to you is that if you plan to bring a motorhome, consider driving it out to the newly-reopened facilities at the ranch and park there at one of the RV spots. Plan for several days because you want to take your time. Or go to the Big Bend Motor Inn (432-371-2313) in Study Butte and park there. Call ahead to the property owners' office or West Texas Realty. Use the motorhome as your home base while you look for properties. If you plan to permanently relocate your motorhome to the ranch, think about sticking to properties off the paved/main Terlingua Ranch road in the North Corazones section. This is the mostly-paved road - except for the last 3 miles - that leads to the resort area/pool/offices. Many properties are available right off the paved road. That was our original plan, but it fell through when the seller, Scott at (Classic Country Land) said our place was just off the paved road but in fact, turned out to be deep in the Solitario. (This is a huge difference!) In fairness to Scott, he did offer to switch with us, but he did not offer us anything more accessible in the switch, so we decided to forget the battle since we had already fallen in love with the real place. If you need financing, Classic Country Land can be a good option for you. But please consider what they did to us and do your homework.

You could also look at places off South County Road (off FM 170 near Terlingua). Not all properties are on Terlingua Ranch, but there are many good examples of motorhome setups off South County Road. This road is dirt but is maintained by Brewster County and is in good shape. We sometimes travel South County road when we are going to The Home Place, mostly when we think Terlingua Creek on our other route has too much water. (Clarification: South County Road ends and intersects a few short miles into the Solitario with the Terlingua Ranch roads, so we don't travel all the way to our place on the maintained South County Road.)

You can also look off North County Road, which is near the intersection of Terlingua Ranch road and Highway 118. Again, many of these places are not on Terlingua Ranch.

A few more things to note - the many roads we take to get to The Home Place have never been impassible, and our place is near the eastern boundary of the upper part of Big Bend Ranch State Park. That's a long way to travel on Terlingua Ranch roads, and we've successfully done it all without a 4-wheel-drive vehicle and without trouble. We do have a high clearance "tank" with all-terrain tires (and two spare tires) that we use to get out there - David's Dodge Ramcharger. It's perfect for this purpose. We've never had a flat (touch wood).

One more thing to consider... if you bring your motorhome out here, there isn't an RV repair facility nearby. There is one RV certified repair man at Lost Alaskan RV Park (www.lostalaskan.com) in Alpine. His name is George and you can reach him by calling Lost Alaskan. He was a plumber before getting his RV certification. I've not used him before, but others I know have been very satisfied with his work.

If you need RV mechanical work, I've heard that AMP Automotive in Fort Davis (432.426.3529) is the best place to go.

Do you have a high clearance vehicle and as important, do you have the right tires? If so, you could use it to run about the ranch and look at different properties. I believe that West Texas Realty will drive you around and they have a Hummer, so they can go just about anywhere.

One more suggestion - talk to Larry, the manager at Big Bend Motor Inn. He knows the ranch better than anybody else out there. He could probably offer you some advice, too (and he can tell you all about how he rescued our high-centered RV from the ranch road only a couple of weeks after he had heart surgery).

I hope this answers some of your questions. Please check back in if you have more questions. Good luck!
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Flags

2010-05-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Hermit Jim's lovely and informative post about the history and symbolism of Red Poppies on Memorial Day, I post a photo of my stained glass Texas flag that I've had forever and window-cling American flag that I bought a few days ago. I found the American flag at the local discount store. (Yeah, it's backwards. I took the photo from inside.) I love them because they don't take up too much room in my tiny place.

Terlingua Ranch Facilities Open for Business?!?!

2010-05-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

From http://www.poatri.org/:

"MEMORIAL WEEKEND SWIM PARTY & PICNIC AT THE RANCH
COME ONE COME ALL
POOL OPEN AND FREE TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS DURING EVENT

DAY: SUNDAY MAY 30th
TIME: 1:00 - closing
Bring: BYOB & Picnic lunch, lawn chairs, swim suits, towels, etc.
(no glass in fenced pool area, please)

Pool keys will be available for sale during the event for future pool access. $50 a year/ $25 a year for MIGS - (see Marbert)

NEW RANCH MANAGER
I am pleased to announce Frank Autrey as the new General Manager for Terlingua Ranch. He and his wife are moving here from Boerne, TX. Please stop by the ranch office to welcome him to our community! Frank's email is: fautrey@terlinguaranch.com

Lodge Areas OPEN for Business
The lodge areas have been officially reopened. NEW - We have FREE WIFI available at the office. The bathhouse and laundry room are open and ready for use. The pool is ready, you can purchse a pool key at the office! The RV and camping spots are ready to go, please call for reservations. We have 4-8 lodge rooms ready for occupancy, please call first for availability. We will have the meat lockers ready for hunt season. Not all areas are ready at this time, the restaurant is still closed, pending further studies. There are several small places to eat along the main road to the lodge facilities, we are sorry for the inconvenience.

Please call..." (click here to read it on the POATRI website).

To Those Who Asked About "Dad's In Heaven with Nixon"

2010-05-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a message from the filmmaker of "Dad's in Heaven with Nixon," Tom Murray. Yes, I realize this has nothing to do with Living off the Grid or trying to Move Toward A More Sustainable Life. But the important message in this documentary (for me) is being completely comfortable with who one is and accepting the decisions of the past, and not being afraid of promoting the good things about oneself - our strengths and gifts, and expressing freely (and without fear even though it sometimes involves tears) how much love one has for someone else. Could it be said that living sustainably, which often involves lots of alone time, can only be done with contentment with the peace of mind of realizing how wonderful we really are?

"Hi Everyone:

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all so much for the love and support you've shown for my film. All of you left messages in the guestbook on the website and while I'd have loved to have responded to each of you individually, I simply can't.

But I wanted to try and address some of the questions you posed in your messages, about the film, the music, DVD sales, Chris' art, etc.

Showtime Dates:
The film will be shown on Showtime quite a bit in the coming weeks. The best thing to do is tell your friends to go to to this link at Showtime to check out when it's showing:
http://www.sho.com/site/schedules/product.do?episodeid=135885&seriesid=0&seasonid=0

DVD Sales:
I can't sell DVDs until early to mid July or thereabouts, so if you or any of your friends want to buy a copy of the film, just email me (tom@twosons.com) and I'll add you to the list.

Chris' Art
If you're interested in purchasing an original piece, please let me know and I can put you in touch with his agent.
I'm also in the process of getting some posters of Chris' work that will be available on the website. If you're interested in that as an alternative to original work, just let me know via email and I'll add your name to that list and let you know when they're available.

Music
The soundtrack is available on itunes. Here's the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dads-in-heaven-with-nixon/id366396510

Facebook
The link for the Facebook page dedicated to the film is:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dads-In-Heaven-With-Nixon/323037478048

And of course the website for the film is:
http://www.inheavenmovie.com/

I think that covers everything for now, except I'm just so grateful and feel so blessed that the film has impacted all of you so positively.

Thank you and Bless all of you for all your love and support and please do continue to tell your friends about the film!!

All my best,
Tom Murray
Two Sons Productions"

A Documentary Worth Watching

2010-05-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

I stumbled into Dad's in Heaven with Nixon this morning while I was preparing for the many things I needed to check off my to-do list. I'm glad I postponed my chores. Dad's in Heaven with Nixon is a documentary by Tom Murray about his family of origin. His brother, Chris, has autism and it chronicles his journey from birth while documenting the family's catapult from "high society" to financial ruin, all while their late father descends into mental illness. Key to the documentary is the mother, a strong and inspiring woman who figured out that simply loving Chris could be the key to bringing him out of a world of silence. It's worth watching. I caught it on Showtime.

RIP, Garden!

2010-05-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

Softball sized hail killed my container garden. Also deceased is one of the rooftop air conditioners on the motorhome.

Among the wounded:
1. Cushions on my patio chairs. (How does hail penetrate sailcloth/thick upholstery?)
2. Outside light fixtures on the motorhome.
3. Air conditioner covers on the motorhome. Both are shredded.
4. The entire passenger side looks like a giant golf ball.
5. Weber bar-b-que pit - giant plate-sized dent and where the hail stone hit, it made weird circular scratches and took the paint down to the finish!
6. Various outside decorations.
7. Clay pots that contained my plants.
8. Medium weight livestock fencing that surrounded the plants. It's curled up in a ball.

Alive and well (I can't believe it, but am soooo grateful!):
1. All the windows, screens, skylights, and mirrors.
2. My car + the convertible top! I was 6 miles away and it didn't get any damage.
3. David's truck with it's brand new paint job. (I'm convinced that the new paint job is attracting hail. This is our 3rd round in 5 weeks.)
4. One of the rooftop air conditioners on the motorhome. It works fine even though the cover is shredded.
5. Glass-top patio table and chair frames.
6. A recently planted desert willow.
7. The big in-ground garden at my daughter's house. Pea size hail didn't harm it.

Happy Day!

Wonder Wash Review

2010-05-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

I've used the Wonder Wash a few times, so I'm ready to report. I don't know how old the one I have is because I bought it at an online swap. I wanted one to leave at The Home Place, but now I'm not sure if I want to leave it out there.

This is what I did:
1. Pulled 4 lightweight short sleeved or sleeveless shirts out of my dirty laundry.
2. Filled the washer with about a gallon and a half of warm water. Added 1T laundry detergent. (I used warm water instead of hot because it said to use warm on delicate fabrics. I haven't tried cold water because the instructions say that warm or hot water is necessary in order to form the vacuum required to get the clothes clean.)
3. Put the sealer lid on the washer.
4. Cranked that puppy 100 times.
5. Let it sit for about 15 minutes.
6. Pulled the clothes out and put them in the kitchen sink to rinse in cold water.
7. Hand wrung and hung the shirts outside to dry.
8. Checked for stains (one shirt had a tomato juice stain but it came out).

Pros:
-Convenient and can use almost anywhere.
-It doesn't take much time.
-No quarters required!
-No trip to the laundry.
-It doesn't take much detergent.
-It works!

Cons:
-It's small. I did my four shirts above. I did one pair of jeans and one pair of dress pants in one load. One pair of men's dress pants and two men's dress shirts fit.
-Requires heated water. (If I use it at The Home Place, I'll drain heated solar shower water into the washer.)
-The crank handle is flimsy, but the rod that cranks the barrel is substantial. By looking at the photo above of the current model, I think they've made the handle better.
-It scoots around a little when you crank. I put some of that rubber non-skid shelf liner under it and it worked pretty well.
-You really need a wringer if you want to make this a complete setup. But living in the desert means the climate is super dry, so clothes dry quickly outside even when they are hand wrung.
-The barrel doesn't have a drain. You have to dump it from the top. Again, the photo looks like they've addressed this problem, too, and added a drain.

I only paid $3 for mine at the swap, but I would pay more for a new one. I've used it several times because the RV park laundry only has 1 washer and 1 dryer, so when it's occupied, I wash the minimum in the Wonder Wash. Even with the propane required to heat the water, it will save money. At the former RV park, it cost $1.25 to wash and 1.50 to dry and they didn't allow clothes hung outside, so it was either that or go to the nasty and mostly broken equipment laundry in town. The Wonder Wash is definitely better than hand washing in the kitchen sink.

Hot Date on a Friday Night!

2010-05-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

As a state employee, we get to take two 15 minute breaks a day. I don't usually take mine, not because I'm such a loyal employee, but because we have a lot of fun in the area where I work. But this time of year, when it's sunny and pretty outside, I usually get out for a few minutes every day. Today on break, I hopped over to the Meat Lab on campus and bought a 1/2 goat for $40. (Hint: The Meat Lab is open to the public.) I'll be slow cooking goat ribs all day tomorrow so we can enjoy them tomorrow night. I haven't cooked goat before, but I grew up in South Texas. I enjoyed it frequently at one of the many weekend cabrito cookoffs that take place during the summer.

When I got home from work today, I immediately let Roxie and Pepper out, gave them fresh water, and fed them their chicken quarters. While they ate, I had fun doing my regular Friday Night Hot Date ... with the vegetables. My Friday night routine includes putting up vegetables that I purchased earlier in the day from Mark the Dirt Farmer. Every Thursday afternoon, Mark the Dirt Farmer emails a list of folks with his garden's offerings. We each reply with our list and he meets us in the parking lot with our goods every Friday at noon. Mark has never disappointed. I always get a $10 pack, which means that Mark makes the selection and in exchange, I get $12 worth of vegetables. It's a great arrangement.

Mark the Dirt Farmer threw in some garlic this time, so I braided it and hung it on the utensil basket in the kitchen.

Next, I watered the container garden. I have some more plants to put out in containers, but I need to get some more supplies.

After my work was done, I fixed a glass of iced tea with honey and lemonade, and sat outside looking at this view behind the motorhome.

If you come to the Big Bend, you must pick up some Big Bend Pure Desert Wildflower Honey. It's amazingly wonderful! A little spendy at $10.49 a jar, but worth every penny. And, it comes in a Mason jar.

A shot of sunset at the motorhome. I'm so glad we moved to this new place. I can't figure out why we didn't do it sooner. It's almost as good as being at The Home Place. Almost.

First Come, First Served! Or How The Early Bird Got The Worm

2010-05-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I got one of these

at an online

with three of these!!

I was

to be the first to respond to the ad. I

it!

O-V-E-R

2010-05-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Yep, the Spring 2010 semester is officially OVER with the last final exams on the books. Woot! Time to take a short academic break.

If it's finals week in your town and your nearby university has on-campus housing, do yourself a favor and head on over to the dumpsters near the dorms. You'll find all kinds of useful treasures, like barely used trash cans, new (unworn) tennis shoes, tupperware, DVDs, shelves and organizing stuff, original artwork. You name it - it's in or near the dumpsters. We have a local unofficial team of freecyclers who regularly scour to keep stuff out of the landfill, but since the university schedules a special trash pickup on move-out day, it's hard to get to it all. The scouring team keeps some, shares some, and donates some to the local non-profit thrift store. Last year, one of them snagged an iPod (non-working but fixed under the warranty).

Dixie Cup Garden

2010-05-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

My little Dixie Cup seedlings. These are just a small sampling of the seeds that I sprouted in the bathroom of the motorhome. Many others are going strong in the garden. I also have some containers that are looking pretty good, which I'll post photos of later. Trying to keep the deer away from the containers. Fortunately, the in-ground garden is fenced. Daughter #1 has been working it since I haven't been well enough to dig around since we first planted, but things are definitely getting better for me, so I plan to be out there this weekend.

More Detox and Moving Day

2010-05-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

I'm still detoxing. It's getting better. I told my boss that he needs to get me a teleprompter because words do not come easily to my foggy brain these days. I've been on the SCD diet for 2 weeks + 2 days, and the brain fog and fatigue should be lifting in a couple of weeks.

We moved a few miles out of town. We officially live in the country again. It's so nice to sit outside and look at the night sky. I watched a satellite track across the sky a couple of nights ago and I thought, "Yeah, I'm home."
(The plan to move to The Home Place is still in motion. This is just a stopping point while we prepare for the future.)

Roxie isn't sure what these are yet and just stops and stares when they pass by...

but the dogs are loving having room to move around. (I still have to keep them on leash, but they have more room anyway.)

David took Roxie and Pepper to the university's vet tech program's animal day a few days ago and had them bathed and dipped, nails trimmed, and microchipped. Kat reminded me later that day that Roxie was already microchipped. I forgot. (See what I mean about needing the teleprompter?) Roxie also has an identifying tattoo on her belly which was done when we had her spayed. It identifies her and also lets people know that even though she's a bully breed, she's someone's pet.
Roxie and Pepper

Javelina photo credit: http://www.desertanimallearningzone.com/javelina.php

Detox and Shipping Container Cabins

2010-04-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling better, at least from the ribs down. My stomach is responding well to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I'm going through some yeast/candida detox though, so from the neck up, it's awful. And my body is screaming for sugar, bread, anything. (Hear the whine??? Do ya?) I feel drunk/hungover, confused, foggy, caffeine deprived, and my internet is still sketchy so it's hard to search for solutions. I did get some advice from someone I trust who said to eat a spoonful of chopped garlic (ugh), eat some butter (not with the garlic) - which I chose to eat on a couple of scambled eggs, and make an epsom salts lotion mix and rub it over my skin. I'm waiting to see how that goes...

While I was trying to look for detox help (on a better internet connection), I stumbled into a website about Texas Container Homes. Check out these supercool shipping containers cabins at the Cinco Camp in Brewster County. I have no idea where they are, but they can't be too far away.
http://texascontainerhomes.blogspot.com/2009/10/cinco-camp-brewster-county-texas.html

I can't wait to catch up on my favorite blogs. I feel lost without being able to read them.

Another Stomach Bug???!!

2010-04-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Internet connection still tricky, but I'm able to post...

Ok, so how many times can I have the stomach bug in one season? You know the one I'm talking about... stomach ache, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea. So I went back to the Nurse Practitioner and she said, "Time for labwork." I had lots of lovely pokes, prods, and draws, all of which came out normal. The NP still suspects Celiac or Crohn's Disease. So I decided to forego the treatment meds (steroids) and go with nutrition first to see if I can get this under control.

My life has become so small because of this problem. I've been missing work and have been unable to be far from a bathroom for a long time. Sadly, it was getting worse at my own hand. I've been battling on again/off again symptoms for years. I had recently switched to a vegan/high-fiber diet to try to fix things after the NP suggested that I increase fiber intake. I had no idea I was making myself so sick. A diet with grainsand certain nuts is like poison to someone with this problem. I was so dehydrated that the blood draws took forever. So on Wednesday, I started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), called that because you only eat specific carbs on the plan. It's a radical change for me - meat, butter and certain oils, eggs, limited cheeses, blanched almonds, homemade yogurt, veggies, limited fruits, no sugar or sugar subs but I can have raw honey. Nothing else. No rice, no beans, no grains, no flour, no pasta, no processed foods, no nada other than that list. I already feel a little better and I'm no longer dehydrated, but man, I'd love some chocolate, pistachios, and maybe a little wine.

Could this be the answer? I believe it is. I want to hike and swim and play outdoors again. I want to sleep peacefully. If you know someone who has been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, Celiac, candida (yeast) overgrowth, the book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" by Elaine Gattschall is most helpful. This book outlines the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Whew! Glad that this might be the answer.

Is this Like Life Off the Grid?

2010-04-21T09:02:00.001-07:00

Limited to no internet access is keeping me from posting and reading my fave blogs. Be back soon!

Don't Forget This Important Part of Your Preparations

2010-04-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

My internet connection sucks! I haven't been able to read many of my favorite blogs lately or post much. I hope to catch up soon as I figure out if I want to spend the money for an air card + the monthly fee. But I digress...

I have been having some ongoing health problems for the past few months, and I'm patiently awaiting a diagnosis following some bloodwork and other lovely samples. It could be something really simple or something more serious. I really feel, in my gut, that it's simple. More on that later. No worries. Don't be getting sappy on me.

This is a reminder to me that if I want to live the life that I dream about, I must take good care of myself. I don't want my dream to be derailed because of health issues. My shangri-la doesn't involve regular visits to the doctor. I'm very lucky that I take no medications and have no health issues (and hope to keep it that way as I wait for my results) - even though I've taken great care of myself in so many ways, I've abused my body with the eating disorder.

Difficult access to ongoing medical care is among the top reasons that folks leave this area. Not only do I want my dream to remain on track, I don't want to screw David out of the dream either. Likewise, I hope. So, I believe that we each have a responsibility to the other to take the best possible care of ourselves. David is a long-time smoker and is mostly quit for now. His quit is tenuous. Damn it, I wish he would stop for good. Here is the smoking death toll in my personal circle: my father (age 65), my grandfather (age 50), my mother-in-law (age 68), my uncle (age 65), another uncle (age 50), yet another uncle (age 50), add one more uncle (age 60), a cousin (age 50), another cousin (age 58), one more cousin (age 42). There are others - they are more distant to me, though. A dear co-worker's mother-in-law died last week (age 70).

My father died when I was 21. He smoked. I was a daddy's girl. It was a bad time in my life. I was raped a few months before and I was pissed that he left me. I needed him and he wasn't there. Daddy's last seven years were not good ones. By the time I was 12, I knew in my heart that Daddy was sick, way before his initial diagnosis of emphysema and later, lung cancer. I got a job when I was 14 and moved out when I was 17, and quietly went straight to a full time job after high school graduation instead of college because I didn't want my parents to think I was a burden. Many smokers will argue with me that we are all gonna die somehow and we might as well be doing something we enjoy. Well, I've witnessed this death, and it's not pretty or enjoyable. It's horrific and I'll never forget watching my father's passing. It haunts me every day still, and I dream often about his struggle to breathe. My mom died peacefully and for that, I'm eternally grateful. She was not a smoker, had never been a smoker. (She wasn't perfect. I know that.) David's father and I had a private conversation about David's mom's passing. It was horrific and he will never forget watching his dear wife's passing. It haunts him every day still, and he dreams often about her struggle to breathe. He cried as he talked. I cried as I listened... listened to this tough guy/military man who worked three jobs from 5am to 2am daily to support his large family. He managed to quit a 5-pack-a-day habit cold turkey. One of his jobs was running a bowling alley and chain smoking was just part of the job description. It brought back so many memories. He's 81 and healthy and active.

I know my view is irrational. Daddy did not leave me on purpose. In fact, he did not leave me at all. As I think back over the last 29+ years without him, I wonder how my life would have been different if I could have had him another five or 10 years. I wonder how Mom's life would have been different, too. She lived 27 years alone. I think of David's mom. We were getting to know each other, growing close. She confided things to me that she didn't or couldn't tell others. I was pissed that she died, too. I wanted to know more of her.

But I digress again...

This isn't about morality or judgment. This is about love, life, family, pain, and death. My point is that whatever dream we choose to strive for or live, I can probably guess that it doesn't include self-imposed health issues caused by whatever lifestyle choices we make. Take care of yourself. I'll do the same. Start now. Don't derail your dream or the dreams of another. It's not too late to change things for the better.

New Earthbag Informational Website

2010-04-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a new Earthbag building website that has lots of great, useful, technical, REAL information. Check it out! That's what I'm doing...
http://www.earthbagstructures.com/

HB, FFIL!

2010-03-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

David's Dad, Pat, also known as my FFIL - my favorite father-in-law - turned 81 on Friday. Pat lives in Abilene and has since before he retired from the Air Force following a long stint at Dyess Air Force Base. I haven't seen him much in the last seven years since we left that area and moved to Houston. Now that we are in the Big Bend region, it's a bit of an easier drive. Pat is one of the most kind, gentle, loving men I've ever met. (By his own admission, he wasn't always that way. But a life-changing event transformed him.) We talked a lot over the weekend because we had some time alone. David had errands to run, so that left Pat and me with time to catch up. I wish we lived closer and could spend more time with him. I came away feeling loved, refreshed, appreciated, and understood.

David has five brothers and one sister. Kathleen is the oldest. The six brothers are all getting together in a few weeks for a brothers-only trip to The Home Place. Most, well all, of David's brother are city-slickers, so I can't wait to see how it goes. (Hey, no judgment. David and I are quasi city-slickers, too, doing the best we can.) I expect that 20% of the brothers (one for those who are mathematically challenged) will decide to purchase some property in the area. Let's see if I'm right. I don't know which one it will be though.

Happy Birthday, Pat!

A Funky Trip to The Home Place

2010-03-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

David found himself with a day and a half off, and so we scrambled to get things together and make it out to The Home Place. We originally talked about getting up super-early on Saturday morning, but realizing that those plans usually turn into a 9am departure (too late), we decided to leave on Friday night. We got about 2 miles into the ranch when the truck broke down. The water pump went out. We had plenty of water, so David limped it back to Terlingua by adding water again and again. We tried to get a hotel room (ha ha, what was I thinking, one doesn't find accommodations in the middle of the night in Terlingua, which is exactly why I love the place). So we spent the night in the truck in the parking lot of the Big Bend Resort (when did it become a "resort") with our two dogs, Roxie and Pepper, also known as the fighting cichlids, the arch enemies, the Hatfields and McCoys, Hillary and Monica. We had cell phone numbers of some dear friends in the area including the new GM of the resort, but couldn't bear to call them at 1:30am. I actually got some sleep. David didn't. We found the parts at Napa in Alpine, paid for them by phone, and Kat (daughter #1) and grandson brought them to us. It was COLD!! I sat in the truck and read while David worked on the truck in the cold. He had the truck back in top shape by about 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. So, we decided to go on to The Home Place anyway. We got there about 4:30, I think, after some food, hugs, and thank yous all around.

The Home Place was fun. It was cold. Cold enough to freeze some of the bottled water, but it was lovely still. We were so tired that we skipped sitting outside looking at the night sky on Saturday night. That's a tough call as it's one of my favorite things to do out there. I missed the sunrise, too, as I didn't get up until almost 8am on Sunday. After breakfast, we scrambled to get some things done, like replace some stalks that had blown off the porch, fix a leak in the roof, change the sheets on the main bed, and dig a hole to gather a soil sample for the Earthbag house. I plan to test it the soil when we get back to town to see how it will hold up in the Earthbags.

We drew up some plans for a half above ground/half subterranean earthbag house. We plan to rent a backhoe soon and start the dig. After that, we'll order bags and get going on the house.

Blooms in the desert and some other pics:

One Foot in Each World

2010-03-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I'm back to work and school after a week off for spring break. I'm frustrated that the week did not include a trip to The Home Place, but David had to work, but I did accomplish a lot during the past week.

At times, I feel like I'm straddling two worlds. I've got one foot in the day-to-day life that I've created for myself, which, even though it's incredibly different (and in many ways, better) than my old city-based life, is still basically the same: work a few days, have a couple days off, spend time with the folks I love in my down time, plan the next trip to The Home Place, work out the bills, figure out if there is anything left to go into savings. The other world is the one I dream about... living independently and quietly and simply at The Home Place or some similarly situated property, living off that carefully calculated savings, figuring out a way to work when I need to but, for the most part, not relying on a traditional daily job to meet our needs. I know there are others who share this sentiment of being here and wanting there. Patient, I'm not.

Seeds for Now - Seeds for Later

2010-03-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

The seeds arrived! I had a coupon for $25, so I ordered some for warm weather and some for cool and cold weather. I'm not a gardener, but I'm surrounded by them at work, including 1) a biologist/botanist who specializes in Texas species, 2) the environmental scientist who manages the greenhouse and vineyard, 3) the herbarium curator, and 4) the microbiology lab manager. Maybe I can be successful by osmosis.

Erma Gwendolyn Crawford Grantham, b 7-23-1918, d 3-14-2008

2010-03-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

Well, it's hard to believe that, almost two years ago, I was sitting in a chair beside Mom's bed, telling her it was ok for her to go. I remember that the sun was filtering through the lace curtains and the breeze was blowing leaves on the tree outside, casting shadows of the leaves on the carpet. I remember counting the seconds between her breaths, and then there was no breath. I miss her. I wish I could sit with her one more time and talk, but mostly just listen.

Jamie (daughter #2) made a beautiful photo/video tribute to her Grandma. It took her a long time to complete it and she almost gave up so many times in the days between Mom's passing and the time we had to travel to her funeral. I'm glad Jamie finished it, though, because sometimes, I like to go back and watch it, but I don't do it often because it always makes me cry.

The photo/video tribute is at the bottom of this page http://idratherbe-ginger.blogspot.com/2008/03/family.html. If you have a few minutes to watch it, please turn your sound on. I can't watch it because of the internet connection here at the RV park. I do remember that my favorite photo of Mom and me together is at 1:33.